The long-term success of national efforts to reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality rests in part on the ability of Breast Cancer SPORE programs to attract and build the translational research careers of talented young faculty. Since 1992, the UNC Breast Cancer SPORE has used career development funds to promote the breast cancer research careers of selected investigators. The SPORE Career Development Program (CDP) both recruits externally and identifies internal faculty with interest in translational breast cancer research. The CDP then matches junior faculty with training offerings and senior mentors. We seek to enrich the field with our efforts to recruit qualified women and minorities as both participants and mentors in the program. During this funding cycle, 6 of the 12 faculty selected were women and 2 were minorities. Co-recruitment with departments across campus attracts exceptional talent to UNC and its Cancer Center. The SPORE CDP makes available extended training for junior faculty with an interactive group of respected and successful investigators who can influence and help build careers. The combination of an excellent talent pool and an effective training and mentoring program results in an elite cadre of breast cancer researchers whose work contributes to the national breast cancer effort. CDP participants'contributions include published research, funded grants focused on breast cancer, participation in collaborative breast cancer research, and, leadership in the SPORE program itself. Seven CDP alumni (Drs. Amos, Carey, Dees, DeMore, Millikan, Perou, and Troester) serve as co-leaders on the proposed projects and cores. As a result of the Breast Cancer SPORE, these investigators are now firmly established as translational breast cancer researchers with distinct interests, collaborations, and honors. They represent unmistakable evidence of the CDP's success. Over the next five years, the UNC Breast Cancer SPORE will continue to promote and develop careers in translational breast cancer research. We request SPORE support of $50,000 per year to combine with $50,000 in institutional funds to provide $100,000 in flexible funds for career development. The SPORE will use these funds to help recruit and develop junior faculty in translational breast cancer research. The SPORE leaders will continue to identify, recruit, and develop minority and women faculty.
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