The purpose of this proposal is to continue the Clinical Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. The program is designed to support medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology and pathology fellows who have completed their clinical training are committed to developing careers in clinical oncology research. The overall goal of the program to provide highly focused individualized training to prepare investigators for careers in which advances in biotechnology, molecular biology and related disciplines can be integrated into well designed clinical trials. The program is organized along scientific program lines including: tumor biology, developmental therapeutics, immunobiology/immunotherapy, and radiobiology/radiotherapy to encourage interdisciplinary actions. Within these subgroups, mentors accomplished in clinical and translational research guide trainees through a two-year program with both clinical trial and laboratory components. This program which started with the support of a prior K12 award has been highly successful as six of eight graduated trainees have successfully established clinical research-based careers. This program will be overseen by both a coordinator leadership of the Medical Science Division. In addition to the individual research project, trainees will have continuous exposure to clinical trial design by becoming part of the process of protocol review by the Research Review Committee and Institutional Review Board, and as Assistant Director of the Protocol Office and Clinical Research Unit. An extensive, didactic exposure to clinical research methodology, with lectures relating to molecular biology, epidemiology, pharmacology and biostatistics is provided as well. The exact conference requirements will be tailored for each trainee in consultation with his/her mentor and with the approval of the advisory committee. Scheduled monitoring or each trainee's progress is provided by the mentor, area coordinator and advisory committee throughout the two-year period of training. At the conclusion of the two years, promising, productive trainees will have the opportunity for yearly competitive renewals for an additional year of funding to facilitate their transitions into independent investigators in clinical oncology research.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications
