The goal of the annual Jackson Laboratory ?Short Course on Experimental Models of Human Cancer? is to train graduate students, postdocs and new investigators in the basic science and application of experimental models of human cancer. The training program will immerse participants and faculty in a unique and highly integrated scientific environment and empower the next generation of scientists tackling human cancer. The integrated program will cover advances in three critical areas: experimental cancer models, modern technology to assess mechanisms and outcomes and the interplay of the tumor microenvironment and the immune system. It will teach classical approaches to mouse and human genetics, modern molecular genetic methodologies, computational and bioinformatics concepts, ontological standards, and scientific and medical ethics. Students will participate in lectures, workshops, poster sessions as well as will receive practical training in bioinformatics, statistical genetics, mouse anatomy, genetic engineering with CRISPR/Cas9, necropsy and the preparation of tissues for histopathological analysis. This course will take place at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), which hosts an NCI-designated Basic Cancer Research Center and is a global resource of mouse models. The course will include sessions with patient advocates and community oncologists so that trainees gain broad exposure and knowledge related to the clinical aspects of human cancer. The intensive, immersion course is focused on graduate students, postdocs and new investigators. Nonetheless, JAX is eager to share didactic lecture and seminar sessions with those individuals whose schedules, budget or clinical duties do not allow them to participate in person. To share course content more widely, JAX will advertise and recruit trainees and clinicians to participate in live virtual delivery of Experimental Models of Human Cancer. JAX is deeply committed to training a diverse group of biomedical scientists; going forward and with support from NCI and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, we aim to train twice as many under-represented minority (URM) participants in the Experimental Models of Human Cancer course than during the previous grant period. !
Cancer remains a largely incurable disease and the mouse remains a key model for human cancer. A cadre of highly skilled young investigators will be trained in cutting edge modeling of human cancer including experimental cancer models, modern technology to assess mechanisms and outcomes, as well as tumor microenvironment and the immune system.
