Multidisciplinary Approaches to Tumor Immunology

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overarching goals of the Tumor Immunology Training Program (TITP) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Graduate Division are to educate, train, and prepare talented pre-doctoral trainees for a profession in cancer immunology research. Driven by significant advances in understanding how the immune system can be weaponized against cancer, future leaders in tumor immunology will not only be well-trained in the discipline, but also will have a strong appreciation of the potential translational impact to human cancer biology and therapy. The unique, cancer-focus of the TITP introduces trainees to an advanced didactic and conceptual cancer immunology educational paradigm that encapsulates knowledge spanning the continuum of basic science to clinical application. The uniqueness of this TITP is further enhanced by the integration of an academic environment comprised of diverse faculty concentrated within a prestigious NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Throughout the program, trainees are continually exposed to a comprehensive portfolio of themes and concepts in tumor immunology, responsible conduct of research, and the principles of rigor and reproducibility. Trainees conduct their doctoral research with TITP mentors with expertise in basic, translational, and clinical tumor immunology. The primary mission of the TITP is to support competitively selected trainees during their third and fourth years of study. The funds requested cover stipends and tuition for 4 pre-doctoral trainees per year. This funding is crucial to continue the upward trajectory experienced for nearly 20 years of NRSA support in the quality and diversity of pre-doctoral trainees focused on complex and challenging immunologic questions in cancer. NRSA-supported trainees are prepared for a competitive biomedical career through didactic lectures and concept-driven learning in tumor immunology and biology, grant writing, responsible conduct of research, and rigor and reproducibility. After trainees complete all formal course work and pass a qualifying exam, degree conferral is dependent upon fulfilling a first-authored publication requirement and passing the dissertation defense reflecting the novel and original findings of the trainee’s body-of-work. Trainees who complete this TITP will be well-versed in all major facets of tumor immunology and will have the solid foundation upon which to build cancer-focused careers, guided by a clear vision of its impact on human cancer biology and treatment.