TRAINING NAVIGATOR CCSG SUPPLEMENT

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Project Summary This Administrative Supplement to the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center’s P30 Cancer Center Support Grant will support the deployment of two Training Navigators who will identify new emerging and early stage investigators from underrepresented minority groups in biomedical sciences (pre-doctoral students, post- doctoral trainees, early stage investigators, and new investigators) who can be navigated and infused into the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences program. The Training Navigators will provide these emerging and early stage investigators step-by-step guidance and mentoring as well as linkages to research proposal development and other professional preparation and networking opportunities and services available at Massey, other NCI-designated cancer centers, cancer-related professional organizations (e.g., AACR), and the NCI. The Training Navigators will build upon Massey’s existing intra and inter-institutional relationships and concentrate recruiting and mentoring efforts among the eligible students, trainees, and faculty across three federally designated minority serving institutions – Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, and the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center in San Juan. The goal of this supplement effort is to identify 12 new underrepresented minority individuals within one year, approximately four per institution, who will begin and/or continue to actively work and train in cancer and cancer health disparities research and develop and apply for at least one NCI-sponsored funding mechanism (disparities supplements, NRSA F or K career development awards, or R21 and other research project awards). Facilitated by the Training Navigators, these individuals will have access to numerous informational workshops that will outline the available funding opportunities and best-practice strategies for developing research and/or career development proposals. The Training Navigators will also ensure that these emerging and early stage investigators will have convenient access to the rich portfolio of seminars and symposia led by Massey and other NCI-designated cancer centers and professional organizations on a wide variety of cancer topics including data science, community engagement in research, and cancer health disparities research. Finally, the Training Navigators will track and monitor the progress and productivity of these potential CURE pipeline scholars and report data to the NCI to demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing specialized Training Navigators to enhance the next generation of diverse cancer researchers and expand efforts in addressing cancer disparities through research.