Research Education Core

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – RESEARCH EDUCATION CORE The goal of the Cancer Research and Education to Advance HealTh Equity (CREATE) Research Education (RE) Core is to provide critical educational and career development opportunities to current and future underrepresented cancer scientists and professionals. The RE Core will build upon its achievements to support students at three important inflection points in the cancer education pipeline: in Aim 1, CREATE Undergraduate Scholars will be paired with world-class cancer disparities researchers and clinicians, and complete a summer research and education program, coupled with follow-up research during the academic year. Scholars will be supported and mentored in their applications to graduate and professional schools, to further their development as cancer disparities scholars. Undergraduates will benefit from near-peer mentoring by CREATE Medical Student Scholars, who in Aim 2 will carry out cancer disparities research and participate during their first year of medical school in a newly-developed elective focused upon the social determinants of cancer health. In Aim 3, CREATE Graduate Scholars, recruited as underrepresented second-year PhD students working in cancer research laboratories, will be supported to assure their retention and success in their PhD programs. Graduate Scholars will receive research and financial support, will gain expertise in fellowship grant preparation and submission, and will receive education in cultural awareness to enable successful participation in a diverse scientific workforce. These activities will directly and positively increase the number of individuals engaged in cancer disparities research, promote retention in their selected degree programs, and will ultimately increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in this critical research area. The RE Core will be co-led by an established team of investigators who have significant experience in leading NIH-supported educational programs. Co-leads Drs. Richard Cripps (SDSU) and James Murphy (UCSD) and will work with Drs. Ricardo Zayas (SDSU) and Dennis Trinidad (UCSD) to develop new activities and direct Core progress. The CREATE Partnership’s Internal Advisory Committee will oversee operations, and RE Core personnel will collaborate with the Planning and Evaluation Core to assess the effectiveness of each aim and to guide program improvement. The opportunities offered through the RE Core will engage and support the development of students from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. The education that will be provided in cancer-related research will guide participants towards successful careers in this area and enable them to develop research programs focused upon cancer disparities.