Training Grant in Precision Cancer Control

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PROJECT SUMMARY In the United States, more than 40 percent of new cancer cases can be attributed to modifiable factors. Yet, despite advances in knowledge regarding the multilevel factors associated with cancer risk, the annual number of cancer cases is predicted to increase nearly 50%, from 1.5 million new cases in 2015 to approximately 2.3 million in 2050. Thus, a greater emphasis on cancer risk reduction and cancer control – along with a highly trained workforce in this domain -- is needed to counter this projected increase. Recent advances in precision medicine have resulted in great optimism for potential therapeutic options and may provide a ‘model’ for how to evolve the field of cancer control. To realize the full potential of precision cancer control, it will be imperative to not only assess biologic properties, but to also consider individual variabilities in behavioral, lifestyle, and environmental factors. As a result, precision cancer control research requires multidisciplinary approaches that enable seamless integration and collaboration to inform our understanding of how to identify those individuals who are at elevated risk or who might benefit from specific, effective, and implementable interventions. Thus, there is a significant need to equip the next generation of cancer control scientists with skills required to: (1) precisely characterize the populations at increased risk for cancer or poor outcomes; (2) identify the multilevel factors contributing to elevated risk or negative outcomes; and (3) develop and implement appropriate interventions to effectively address those factors. This application for a new T32 postdoctoral training program at Fox Chase Cancer Center is designed to prepare PhD and MD postdoctoral fellows to conduct innovative research in precision cancer control with diverse populations. The transdisciplinary training includes a complementary program of didactic activities and intensive mentored research experiences, which will equip trainees to lead independent careers in precision cancer control. The Program Faculty include 25 mentors, all of whom have established track records of obtaining peer-reviewed funding. We propose to enroll 2 postdoctoral fellows each year (for two-year terms) over the five-year award. All fellows will receive rigorous training in the principles of precision cancer control, research design and methodology, grant-writing, responsible conduct of research, and career/professional skills development. T32 mentors are drawn from a broad base of exceptional Cancer Center faculty with a breadth of expertise ranging from molecular biology, genetics, epidemiology, biostatistics, geospatial technology, psychology, public health, and implementation science. The rich resources available at Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) include comprehensive genomic, biologic, sociocultural, behavioral, and environmental-level data combined with advanced geospatial and statistical tools that will enable our faculty and their trainees to apply precision cancer control methods in strategic efforts toward reducing cancer risk and mortality across diverse populations.