Developmental Research Program The overall objective of the Developmental Research Program (DRP) within the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center SPORE in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer (hereafter, VICC GI SPORE) is to encourage innovative translational research in GI neoplasia. The DRP will be led by a Director (R. Daniel Beauchamp, MD) and will be supported by the Developmental Research Advisory Committee (DRAC) made up of senior investigators at Vanderbilt and Meharry Medical College (MMC). The DRP leadership has significant crossover with the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) leadership to encourage CEP recipients to apply for DRP funding and to identify promising investigators from DRP for the CEP. The VICC GI SPORE DRP will use an established and highly effective procedure to solicit applications from investigators at Vanderbilt, MMC, and Tennessee State University. The Director and the DRAC will also actively solicit applications from targeted investigators (women and underrepresented minorities) within the three institutions. Internal and external researchers, including members of the GI SPORE External Advisory Board, will review applications using the NIH 9-point scoring system. Reviewers will evaluate scientific merit and the likelihood of the project to support current GI SPORE activities, lead to extramural funding, and/or lead to future GI SPORE projects. Special emphasis will be placed on attracting young investigators into GI cancer research, high risk/high gain projects, and projects that incorporate emerging technologies and apply them to GI cancer research. Thus, the VICC GI SPORE DRP will offer the opportunity for new directions of study that may be of higher risk but also have a significant chance for reward, including independent funding and additional projects that may form the basis of the next competing renewal.
Developmental Research Program The Developmental Research Program (DRP) is designed to broaden the translational research efforts of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center SPORE in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer (hereafter, VICC GI SPORE) by funding 'pilot projects' or early stage, short term (? 2 years) projects with limited preliminary data but have the potential to lead to significant advances that: 1) produce high impact publications; 2) attract new extramural funding and enhance or replace existing VICC GI SPORE projects; and 3) form the basis of a new project in future VICC GI SPORE applications. The DRP will be used to encourage new ideas, novel technologies, and collaborative projects, as well as to attract new investigators into the area of GI cancer research. A high priority will be placed on attracting young investigators, women and underrepresented minorities to apply for DRP funding, and mechanisms are in place to achieve this goal.
