This new training program in pediatric cancer epidemiology emanates from the University of Minnesota Department of Pediatrics and the Cancer Center. This program will provide opportunities for both pre- and postdoctoral students to enhance their research training and experience in pediatric cancer epidemiology. Through the expertise of the 12 training faculty, trainees will have the opportunity to work in a variety of research settings including molecular biology, prevention and etiology, clinical outcomes (including late effects), and exposure and behavior assessment. The Division of Epidemiology offers courses in epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, cancer biology, genetic epidemiology, nutrition, methods, human experimental studies, and field research relevant to pediatric cancer. Further, students will have opportunities for supervised research in basic biology, human laboratory research, study design, analysis, and grant writing. We propose to train one predoctoral graduate student and three postdoctoral students. The predoctoral student will be formally admitted into the Ph.D. program in Epidemiology. The postdoctoral trainees will be drawn from the medical and basic sciences through national advertising, and include medical fellows who have completed their clinical training and are beginning their research in the Department of Pediatrics. Special attention will be given to recruitment of individuals from under-represented minorities. It is expected that two postdoctoral trainees will choose to obtain a master's degree in clinical research through the Division of Epidemiology. Criteria for selection of all trainees include academic performance and a career orientation toward independent research in an academic, clinical, or public health setting. It is expected that trainees who graduate from this program will have the capacity to undertake pediatric cancer epidemiologic research across a spectrum of disciplines. All trainees will participate in monthly pediatric epidemiology meetings, an annual retreat, and as presenters of their own research at national meetings. All trainees will receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research. In summary, this training program will take advantage of the strengths of the pediatric cancer program at the University of Minnesota to produce skilled and broadly educated trainees in the area of pediatric cancer epidemiology.
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