The proposed renewal of the Cancer Prevention Education Program will continue to support 16 trainee positions. Eight postdoctoral and eight predoctoral positions are requested. The existing program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has successfully trained research investigators and has been funded by R25 CA57730 for nine years. The program was awarded a supplement to increase the number of positions and a second supplement for 4 positions for trainees specializing in genetic epidemiology. The positions previously awarded in these supplements are included in the total positions requested in this competitive renewal application. Applicants prepare proposals describing a tailored educational plan including coursework, research project objectives, a timeline, and educational objectives. Each of these educational plans is based on hands-on experience in ongoing peer-reviewed cancer prevention research projects under the mentorship of established investigators from different disciplines. The successful experience of this program has assured faculty willingness to continue to mentor trainees. Trainees participate in a multi-disciplinary curriculum that includes a core curriculum in cancer biology, cancer prevention, public health and the behavioral sciences. The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has existing patient study databases and accessible populations for prevention and control intervention studies. Faculty research mentors in the proposed program supervise extensive database, laboratory and clinical facilities. Postdoctoral and predoctoral (post-Master?s) trainees are recruited from the basic biomedical sciences, biomedical statistics, epidemiology, genetics, behavioral and social sciences, nursing, medicine, and related public health disciplines. Efforts have been successful in recruiting women and minority applicants. Selection of the students is based on the merit of their proposed educational objectives and mentor-supervised research opportunities. The review of applicants is carried out by our cancer Prevention Education Committee with external reviewers. This program has attracted promising trainees to careers in cancer prevention, mentored their research and enabled them to begin their careers with a research focus. The program began in 1992 with 4 trainee positions, and has gradually increased its capacity to the present level of 16 positions. During this same period, the size of the faculty and funded research in cancer prevention has grown more than eight-fold, providing a significant training resource.
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