There is a growing concern that the failure to train sufficient numbers of basic- and physician-scientists actively engaged in high quality, translational research, will result in the inability of the US to maintain the rate of progress in biomedical research achieved over the past decade. This is particularly true for radiation oncology, where the number of physician-scientists and the number of PhDs in radiation biology, radiation chemistry and radiation physics has decreased significantly over the last 10 or more years. Radiation oncology, biology and physics stand at the threshold of a new, molecular-based approach that promises to utilize the extraordinary advances in radiation delivery, molecular biology and molecular imaging to develop individualized radiation regimes that will significantly affect cancer patient long-term survival and quality of life. However, ensuring the successful development and translation of these advances necessitates the creation of a cadre of basic scientists and radiation oncologists who have a common knowledge base and are dedicated to the pursuit of translational radiation oncology research. To meet these needs, we propose the establishment of a postdoctoral Training Program in Translational Radiation Oncology (TRADONC) research in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The major goals of this program are to i] broaden the research infrastructure of translational radiation researchers by increasing the number of well-trained basic scientists and medical physicists exposed to the clinical practice of radiation oncology, and ii] develop a cadre of clinical radiation oncologists proficient in hypothesis-driven basic, translational and clinical research as well as being proficient in the design and implementation of clinical trials. We propose to enroll two trainees each year until 6 are in the program. These trainees will be radiation oncology fellows (MDs) who have completed their residency, postdoctoral basic scientists (PhDs) or postdoctoral medical physicists (PhDs);each trainee will receive support for 3 years. A common didactic curriculum combined with individually tailored formal courses will ensure a common scientific and clinical knowledge base. Moreover, all trainees will receive hands-on experience in both basic laboratory cancer research and clinical research under the guidance of a diverse, interdisciplinary faculty. Over time, this will increase the number of basic research scientists, medical physicists and radiation oncologists able to compete for extramural research funding, as well as increase thenumber and quality of multidisciplinary, translational radiation oncology studies that integrate the lab and clinic
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