R25 YES: Cancer Research Opportunities at Iowa

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Houtman/Lubaroff Summary/Abstract Underrepresented (UR) populations are less likely to obtain advanced degrees in the field of cancer research. In an attempt to address this problem, the Principal Investigators (Co-Pis) and their colleagues at the University of Iowa (UI) have previously enrolled 123 undergraduate (UR) students during previous 16 summer programs. In order to continue our successful summer programs we are submitting this application for an NCI-funded summer training program in cancer research for Underrepresented High School and Undergraduate Student Research Experiences (R25 YES). The proposed program will include a research methods training, emersion in an outstanding research project, courses in cancer biology, career counseling, follow-up after the students complete the summer research training program, and community outreach programming. Our plan is to train both undergraduate and high school students to encourage their future participation in cancer research. We will also host faculty from these institutions to expose them to research projects and to learn about development and enhancement of the science curricula at their home institution. We will utilize of the Ul's Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies in the College of Education in the development of the course. The goals or objectives of the proposed program include: (a) to recruit UR students who would not routinely have access to a program that will be designed to provide opportunities to learn about and perform cancer research; (b) to design a training program for these students that will expose them to a cancer research career; (c) to provide career counseling about the variety of employment options such as academia, industry, and government or private research centers; (d) to provide one-on-one conversations with heads of departments, directors of interdisciplinary graduate programs, directors of PREP at Iowa, a post-baccalaureate program, medical school admissions, and directors of the MD-PhD program; (e) to continue training and career counseling between the two years of the training program as well as after completion of the University of Iowa's R25 YES program; and (f) community outreach and extended mentoring. Exposing underrepresented students and teachers to science and research will support our goal and the goal of the NCI to support cancer research and ultimately long-term survival for cancer patients or their cure by increasing the number and diversity of new scientists engaged in research studies, including clinical trials. The proposed program has a strong likelihood of success based both on our design of the program and our past successes with previous summer research training programs.