Training and Development of Outstanding Surgeon Scientists

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Discussion with leaders in the above organizations to implement The National Surgeon Scientist Program have begun and, specifically with Directors at NCI, NIDDK, NICHD, NIH, and the Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons. A PhD educator will be hired to create intramural and national programs to oversee professional development and educational programming. We are in the process of developing two surgical fellowship programs: 1) an endocrine surgery fellowship program in which 1 endocrine surgery fellow (in concert with the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons' fellowship programs) will be trained in endocrine surgery and endocrine surgery research, over a 2-yr. period; and 2) surgical oncology fellows from Johns Hopkins will rotate on the surgical oncology services at NIH. The focus of the latter will include familial gastric cancer, metastatic GI cancer, and peritoneal surface malignancies (to be expanded depending upon the future focus of the surgical oncology faculty & PIs), representing unique surgical experience. We are also taking steps to develop a unique collaboration with Biomedical engineering: One of the unique qualifications of a surgeon is the ability to work with in vivo systems, operating on small animals, transplanting, creating perfused organs for short term study. This provides an opportunity to recapitulate in vivo live organs, tumors and study drug delivery, treatment efficacy, as well as cell signaling pathways and immune responses. As such, our group, led by Jonathan Hernandez, has created a Smart platform upon which to study tumor biology. With the advent now of advanced bioengineering and tissue printing, these advances provide additional platforms upon which to study carcinogenesis and treatment. In order to complement the ongoing studies of Drs. Hernandez, Davis, and Blakely, and with the surgical expertise offered by the surgical research fellows, the addition of a bioengineering unit in collaboration with the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering is timely. Already, Dr. Hernandez has begun with an affiliation with Biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins.