The Florida Summer Training in Research and Oncology for the Next Generation of Researchers (STRONGER) Program

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT One of every five deaths in the United States is due to cancer. In both men and women, it is the second leading cause of death, exceeded only by heart disease. However, it is the leading cause of death among women aged 40 to 79 years and men aged 60 to 79 years. Furthermore, cancer is primarily a disease of the aged and the nation’s population is aging. By 2050, about one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, up from about one in eight in 2000, and the number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double over the 40-year period, reaching more than 80 million in 2050. It is therefore imperative that we ensure a continuous workforce of highly trained cancer researchers who will discover, through research, new therapies and preventative strategies that improve treatment outcomes and reduce cancer-related mortality and morbidity. We believe that this goal will be achieved through educating and training the next generation of cancer research scientists. Experiential research internships have been shown to be effective in encouraging students to matriculate to graduate schools and to consider research careers. R1 institutions, classified as doctoral universities with very high research activity, offer abundant opportunities for undergraduate research. However, students completing their Baccalaureate degrees at non-R1 institutions may be disadvantaged due to lack of access to equivalent research experiences. Furthermore, since R1 institutions comprise only a small fraction of degree-granting institutions, it is becoming increasingly clear that in order to meet the expanding need for a highly trained cancer research workforce, it is essential to strengthen the pipeline of potential future researchers. We believe the strategy to achieve this goal, while simultaneously providing career and skills development to enhance future career aspirations, is to offer undergraduates from non-R1 universities the opportunity for hands-on, immersive research experiences that will enhance their graduate portfolios, strengthen their academic competitiveness and aid their preparation for competitive PhD program acceptance. We are requesting support for 8 baccalaureate trainees (rising juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureates) annually from non-R1 institutions, including Historical Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and rurally located colleges to participate in our Summer Training in Research and Oncology for the Next Generation of Researchers (STRONGER) Program. The program will directly link the interns with graduate students in the laboratories of a cadre of outstanding cancer research faculty, with broad research expertise, to provide the interns with a near-peer mentoring experience in a team-based cancer research setting. Coupled with the University of Florida’s unique scientific resources and infrastructure, the STRONGER program will expose students to a broad range of cancer research disciplines and provide a path to future careers in cancer research.