Research Education Core

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The success of our nation’s cancer research enterprise depends on providing rigorous scientific training to the highest performing students from a broad range of backgrounds. The Research Education Core (REC) of our collaborative Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP) has a history of providing training for high-performing trainees from the high school to predoctoral levels across 4 prior cycles. We have demonstrated success in greatly increasing graduation rates, rapidly accelerating career advancement and scientific productivity, particularly among trainees from rural, urban, and American Indian Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. Cycle 4 trainees who were undergraduates in cycles 1 and 2 have now advanced to post-doctoral fellowships, faculty positions, and clinician roles. In the most recent cycle, 146 trainees were supported, and 73 graduate degrees were completed. The number of doctoral degrees attained in cycle 4 exceeded that of the prior 3 cycles combined. This demonstrates a rapidly increasing return on investment. Thus, NACP has positioned our institutions as national leaders in cancer education and advanced degree attainment among AIAN students. These successes are due in large part to the innovative approach to training that we have honed with our faculty, students, and Community Advisory Board (CAB). We have demonstrated that wrap-around support of students, including a “web” of mentors and activities provides a student-centered and highly effective environment for recruiting and retaining students. Activities focus on enhancing students’ research skills by providing curricular programming and hands-on mentored cancer research, complemented by career development planning and a wide range of role models at both institutions. This mature REC program will expand across the Four Corners Region (AZ, CO, UT, NM) to allow us to share more broadly our training and mentoring approach and increase the network for student placement. We will embrace the two-eyed seeing paradigm as we expand the web of support which will allow us to see from one eye with the strengths of AIAN perspective, and from the other eye with the strengths of contemporary scientific perspective, and to use both of these eyes together for the benefit of all. We aim to further our mission by implementing the following aims: Aim 1: Provide two-eyed seeing research education to strengthen the scientific workforce and improve the capacity of UACC and NAU to develop cancer research trainees. Aim 2: Increase student progression to graduate degrees and cancer-related careers by providing uniquely integrated career development, mentorship, and networking activities. Aim 3: Increase reach of the novel cancer research education and career development program by establishing partnerships with regional serving colleges/universities and Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the Four Corners Region.