Cancer Center Research Training Program

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

This competitive renewal application for the University of Pennsylvania’s (PENN) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 Cancer Center Research Training Program seeks continued support to train and mentor a varied pool of physician-scientists towards productive careers in basic, translational, and clinical cancer research. Our Training Program provides the critical protected time, mentorship, resources, educational experiences, environment, and programmatic oversight to enable trainees to make discoveries that enhance cancer care. The Program is bolstered by the remarkable physical and human resources, and strong institutional commitments of PENN and its Abramson Cancer Center (ACC), as well as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and its Center for Childhood Cancer Research (CCCR). This support creates an environment designed to nurture, challenge, and promote physician-investigators committed to research-intensive careers in cancer medicine. Our Program, continuously funded for over three decades, remains highly successful in utilizing our six post-doctoral training slots to develop the careers of physician-scientists. We remain focused on providing research training for adult, pediatric, and other cancer physician MD and MD/PhDs in their 2nd and 3rd year of ACGME-accredited Fellowship training at CHOP and PENN. Since its inception, this T32 has trained >100 outstanding investigators who continue to make seminal contributions, including leaders in cancer research such as John Maris (CHOP/neuroblastoma immunogenomics) and Kimryn Rathmell (PENN/newly appointed Director, NCI), and emerging leaders such as Shannon Maude (CHOP/CART19 innovation), Alex Huang (PENN/immune checkpoint inhibitor optimization), and Jessica Foster (CHOP/mRNA-CART development for CNS tumors). Over the past twenty years, we have supported 61 trainees (including 6 current trainees). Of the 53 living graduated trainees, 35 hold faculty positions as Assistant (21), Associate (13), or Full Professor (1) in academic medicine, 6 continue in research-intensive Instructor roles (5) or postdoctoral research positions (1), 6 hold leadership positions in the pharmaceutical industry, 2 are FDA Medical Officers, and only 4 are working in community-based oncology practices. We select trainees based on their commitment and potential for cancer research. Trainees develop a curriculum and individual development plan tailored to their research interests, the core of which is a mentored research project, supplemented by coursework, seminars, as well as peer mentoring. Trainee progress is closely monitored by their Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC). Newly revised Executive and Advisory Committees review overall programmatic performance and individual Trainee success using publications, funding, and independent careers in cancer research as metrics. This allows us to continually assess the extent to which we are meeting program goals, and identifies opportunities for enhancements to meet the needs of our Trainees, which continue to evolve with the field of cancer medicine.