Postdoctoral Research Training in Biotherapy of Cancer

描述（由申请人提供）：本博士后培养计划旨在培养与肿瘤和肿瘤生物治疗相关的基础科学研究的外科住院医师和研究员。在过去的几十年里，细胞生物学、肿瘤免疫学和人类遗传学的进步使得第一批有效的治疗癌症的生物疗法得以发展。匹兹堡大学癌症研究所（UPCI）和外科肿瘤学部在这些领域做出了重大承诺，开展了广泛的临床前和临床研究项目。最近增加的希尔曼癌症中心包括UPCI研究馆和库珀癌症馆，进一步表明了基础和临床学科之间广泛整合的承诺。因此，培养一批能够担任学术外科医生领导角色并推动基础研究转化为临床癌症治疗的高素质人才是外科肿瘤科的既定使命，也是本项目提案的最终目标。癌症生物治疗的五个主要研究领域是：1)免疫治疗，2)细胞因子治疗，3)基因治疗，4)靶向分子治疗，5)基因组学和蛋白质组学。每位受训者将参与为期两年的强化实验室研究，与来自这五个重点学科之一的已建立并资助的实验室科学家一起。学员和导师每周一对一会面。除了密集的实验室经验，学员还将参加一些正式的课程、研讨会项目和期刊俱乐部。受训人员的进步以及导师的活动由行政委员会监督和评价。在培训期结束时，受训者将获得成熟为独立研究者所需的技能，以弥合差距并推动基础研究向临床终点的转化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This postdoctoral training program is a proposal for training surgical residents and fellows in basic science research relevant to oncology and the biological therapy of cancer. Over the past few decades, advances in cell biology, tumor immunology and human genetics have permitted the development of the first efficacious biotherapies in the treatment of cancer. The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the Division of Surgical Oncology have made a major commitment in these areas with extensive preclinical and clinical research programs. The recent addition of the Hillman Cancer Center housing both the UPCI Research Pavilion and the Cooper Cancer Pavilion further demonstrates the commitment for a broad integration between the basic and clinical disciplines. As such, the training of a diverse group of highly qualified individuals who can assume leadership roles as academic surgeons and drive the translation of basic research into clinical cancer therapy is an identified mission of the Division of Surgical Oncology and the ultimate goal of this program proposal. Five major areas of research focus within cancer biotherapy are available for the trainees: 1) Immunotherapy, 2) Cytokine Therapy, 3) Gene Therapy, 4) Targeted Molecular Therapy, and 5) Genomics and Proteomics. Each trainee will be involved in intensive mentored laboratory research for two years with an established and funded laboratory scientist from one of these five focused disciplines. The trainee and the preceptor will meet one-on-one on a weekly basis. In addition to the intensive laboratory experience, the trainee will also participate in a number of formal courses, seminar programs, and journal clubs. The trainee's progress, as well as, the preceptor's activities are monitored and evaluated by an Administrative Committee. At the conclusion of the training period, the trainees will have gained skills necessary for the maturation into independent investigators to bridge the gap and drive the translation of basic research into clinical endpoints.