Career Enhancement Program

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ABSTRACT– CAREER ENCHANCEMENT PROGRAM The DHART SPORE Career Enhancement Program (CEP) supports faculty at the Instructor and Assistant Professor levels to engage in translational research focused on NF1/Rasopathy disorders and cancer. The primary goal of the CEP is to advance the careers of early stage investigators who are developing innovative research related to the goal of implementing more effective and less toxic therapies for cancers characterized by NF1/Ras. The multi-institutional nature of this SPORE leverages a large and talented pool of early career faculty from multiple disciplines. Each institution views the CEP as a vehicle for recruiting and advancing the careers of early stage translational scientists. Collectively, they have committed $1.3 million to the current award and $1.65 million to the renewal to support the Developmental Programs of the DHART SPORE (CEP and DRP). The Specific Aims of the CEP are to: (1) support early stage investigators as they develop innovative research programs that contribute new knowledge to NF1-related cancer research while generating preliminary data that will allow successful future independent extramural funding; (2) provide early stage researchers with training that will equip them with essential skills and knowledge for success as independent investigators; and, (3) mentor early stage translational researchers through regularly scheduled one-on-one mentor meetings and a structured Individual Development Program (IDP) to facilitate integration into the fabric of the SPORE. The CEP has a special emphasis on supporting the recruitment of underrepresented minority investigators (URM). The DHART SPORE will link vertically and horizontally with diversity programs at all of the consortium institutions and ensure maximum exposure of the CEP mentorship and funding opportunities to URM across the seven DHART SPORE sites. Further, requests for applications (RFA) will be shared with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and professional organizations representing communities under- represented in biomedical science. RFAs are already sent outside of the DHART SPORE sites via the Children’s Tumor Foundation and Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program. We are expanding this recruitment effort to include the Society for Neuro-Oncology, RASopathies Network USA, the Children’s Oncology Group. The goal is to fund two CEP proposals per year ($50,000 - $75,000/proposal). Requests for applications will be announced twice a year via broad communications to all groups listed above to maximize opportunities for recruitment of diverse scientists and science. CEP opportunities will also be highlighted at professional meetings throughout the year. Applications for CEP support will be evaluated through a competitive process with review by a Developmental Programs Steering Committee comprised of senor scientists from the DHART SPORE with oversight and guidance from the SPORE External and Internal Advisory Boards.