This application requests funds to continue the highly successful Cancer Biology training program at the Stanford University School of Medicine entitled ?Cancer Etiology, Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis?. This Interdisciplinary Program provides our faculty, especially those in non-degree granting departments (e.g., Radiation Oncology, Pediatrics, Medicine, or Pathology), the opportunity to recruit and mentor top-notch graduate students. The goal of this program is to provide the very best training for its predoctoral trainees so that they become successful and independent leaders in the field of cancer research. The program accomplishes this goal by providing each trainee with a broad and comprehensive curriculum, a vast array of educational resources such as seminars, lectures, conferences and workshops specifically geared towards the biology of cancer, a faculty comprised of 47 exceptional preceptors spanning 16 departments with extensive experience in cancer research mentoring, and an unparalleled research environment. A key strength of the program is its true multidisciplinary approach to cancer research, incorporating such fields as molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, computational biology, developmental biology, tumor biology, and biotechnology, to understand cancer and to help develop improved cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The success of the Cancer Biology training program is demonstrated by its track record of attracting outstanding and talented predoctoral candidates to Stanford University and placing graduates of the program in high profile competitive cancer research positions in academia, industry, and medicine. To aid in the further development of the training program, we have recently created internal and external advisory committees consisting of highly accomplished scientists and mentors at Stanford and peer institutions. During the next five-year period, we will continue to enhance the program to allow students to navigate the increasing complexity of cancer biology. We will develop an improved curriculum designed to provide trainees with a solid core of cancer biology coursework while increasing flexibility in electives to match individual needs in areas of specialization such as computational biology and immunology. We will take various measures to increase diversity in the program, as well as to enhance participation and interaction between faculty and trainees. We will ensure accessibility of career workshops and facilitate trainee internships to provide exposure to different potential career options. These collective experiences will provide trainees with a strong foundation in cancer biology to prepare them for independent careers in this field.
This is the renewal application for the T32 training grant in Cancer Etiology, Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis that is in its 39th year. The program has developed a thriving and innovative training environment as well as an effective administrative infrastructure that has been very successful in attracting highly qualified trainees to Stanford University to be educated in cancer biology. During the next funding period, we intend to build on this success and to refine further the program to prepare our predoctoral trainees to become independent and self-reliant scientists, who take research or clinical positions in academia, biotechnology industries, government laboratories, and the clinic, and ultimately become leaders in the field of cancer biology.
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