CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description): This proposal, in response to NIH RFA: CA-97-008, describes the competing renewal application for a Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The objective of this training program is to provide clinical oncology trainees with advanced laboratory and clinical investigation skills enabling them to develop full-time academic careers focused on moving basic findings in molecular and cellular biology, as well as immunology and pharmacology, from the research laboratory into hypothesis driven-clinical trials or investiga-tions. The training program will be directed by its Principal Investigator, Ethan Dmitrovsky, M.D. with the support and interaction of the chairpersons of the five clinical departments at Memorial Hospital: Medicine, Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Pediatrics, and Neurology. Mentors are selected to direct the research activities of the current and future trainees. The curriculum includes laboratory research training, opportunities to develop and execute translational clinical trials, educational and didactic seminars and lectures, and instruction in the preparation of grant applications. The requested number of trainees is three yearly, the level funded in the current NIH K12-CA0A12 entitled: Clinical and Molecular Cancer Research Training (CMCRT) Program. Trainees may remain in the program for up to five years gaining the required advanced training in laboratory-based research needed to initiate successful independent academic research careers at this Center or elsewhere. As summarized in this application, all past trainees have: (1) initiated an independent research career already supported through peer-review funds, (2) published their work in peer-review journals, or (3) obtained an independent academic faculty position. The applicants are eager to continue this training program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center because of the highly interactive clinical and basic research environment available to contribute to the advanced training of future physician-scientists in clinical oncology.