The Arizona Cancer Center and College of Medicine recognize that hypothesis-based translational research is central to development of effective strategies for treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal cancer. Recruiting and developing translational researchers with promise is clearly critical. There appears to be two sources of candidates for such career development: the first consists of clinicians with research interest;the second of basic scientists who have interest in the application and extension of their work into the clinical setting where Gl cancer risk is elevated or where treatment of Gl cancer is taking place. Most clinicians with fellowship training have had at least a modicum of exposure to the conduct of research as part of their fellowship training. Many come out of training with the desire to contribute to research. Although they may have been exposed to research, they lack adequate laboratory skills, and an understanding of scientific methods necessary to enable them to develop a research program. Even if they were to join a functioning laboratory, their clinical responsibilities would take up so much time that they would not be able to focus in the concentrated way that is necessary to enable them to build research skills and a research portfolio. For even a highly skilled and well-trained clinician, working through a scientific report in cancer research takes hours of concentrated, uninterrupted time;a few haphazard minutes interspersed among patient encounters will not suffice. We see the objective of career development for basic scientists as a part of this Gl SPORE as providing a means to help those basic scientists pursue opportunities for application of their work to Gl cancer and helping them translate their research to clinical care and prevention. The basic scientist must learn to work with the opportunities to gather samples and data from patients in the clinic. He or she must learn to recognize the problems of sample variability and limited experimental options present in the clinic. We in the Arizona Cancer Center have a record of building a strong, interdisciplinary research environment that supports the development of both basic scientists and clinicians in translational research. During the first five years of this Gl SPORE, eleven Career Development awards were issued and resulted in six peerreviewed grants, nine peer-reviewed publications, and a number of faculty appointments and academic achievements. In addition, a number of manuscripts and grants are currently under review and in preparation.
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