The Developmental Research Program (DRP) of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Prostate Cancer SPORE is designed to solicit, evaluate, and support innovative pilot projects in translational prostate cancer research. Projects funded under the DRP are intended to rapidly advance a new idea or concept that has the potential to substantially impact our understanding of prostate cancer, and ultimately influence the clinical management of this disease through improved prevention and treatment strategies. Since the inception of the PNW Prostate Cancer SPORE, the infrastructure of the DRP has established mechanisms to quickly respond to translational research opportunities within the PNW SPORE institutions that require support to advance hypotheses or confirm feasibility in order to justify larger resource investments. Developmental projects include research in basic science, clinical science, and population-based studies, and will continue to build collaborations between PNW SPORE sites and other institutions with SPOREs in prostate cancer. Developmental projects will be selected based on their potential to mature into translational research studies that will receive independent funding, either within our SPORE, or from philanthropic, foundation or government sources. The DRP is designed to attract both senior investigators with diverse scientific expertise and investigators new to translational prostate cancer research.
Investments in early-stage innovative ideas are essential for ensuring that new concepts and approaches can be rapidly directed toward improving our understanding, prevention, and treatment of prostate cancer. Through the Developmental Research Program, the PNW SPORE environment will provide multidisciplinary resources to advance novel scientific ideas, continue an organized, rigorous, and consistent program to fund and promote early-stage projects, and cultivate the recruitment of new and established investigators in prostate cancer translational research.
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