Cancer Research Career Enhancement and Related Activities

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

CANCER RESEARCH CAREER ENHANCEMENT & RELATED ACTIVITIES (CRCE) ABSTRACT The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) remains committed to exceptional cancer research education, mentorship, and training to supports trainee career development and provide a foundation for ongoing progress against cancer. The mission of the JCCC Office of Cancer Training and Education is to foster innovation and excellence in interdisciplinary cancer education and training through partnerships and to create innovative and complementary cancer-related education and training programs for all trainee levels. The Office leads in coordinating and organizing activities for rich and diverse cancer education and training programs already existing in campus departments/centers/institutes and at key UCLA partner institutions. The Office is creating new training and educational activities and expanding these efforts in the next project period. Ongoing Office activities include: (1) A Cancer Education Steering Committee to guide priorities on resource allocation and opportunities to enhance cancer training and education activities broadly. (2) A deeper commitment and focus on mentored assistance in NIH F-type award application development supported by a new JCCC fellowship program. (3) A Women in Oncology Initiative that stimulates career development for women within the JCCC Los Angeles County (LAC) catchment area. (4) Additional resources and emphasis on clinical cancer research training through the JCCC Clinical Research Unit (CRU) and the Translational Research in Oncology (TRIO-US) clinical trials Network. (5) Continued support of the Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR), to overcome a void left by the ending of the NIH program that supported this activity since 1998. The practical objective of the JCCC Office of Cancer Training and Education is to enhance a rich learning environment, provide additional resources, and identify career development opportunities within UCLA, key partner institutions, and throughout our surrounding LAC community. Supported programs span the spectrum of trainee levels. The Office provides administrative and informational oversight of cancer research educational offerings and related activities. It serves as a coordination center for all cancer related educational activities in the JCCC, and provides an academic and administrative scaffold for supporting cancer-related training and education in basic, clinical, and population sciences. To achieve its mission and objective, there are three specific aims. (1) To identify, integrate, and support existing cancer-relevant education and training activities. (2) To create and coordinate new cancer education, career development, and mentorship programs and activities. (3) To engage trainees from underrepresented groups and support their cancer career development. Maie St. John, MD, PhD (STT) leads the JCCC Office of Cancer Training and Education and is responsible for implementing the education, training, and mentoring approach prioritized in the recently completed 2019 ? 2023 JCCC Strategic Plan.