The goal of the Research Education Core is to attract and catalyze a new generation of diverse research professionals and biomedical scientists who are committed to elucidating and addressing the cancer disparities outcomes faced by so many in South Carolina and the US. During the five-year U54 project period, undergraduates at South Carolina State University (SCSU) and junior faculty at SCSU and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC-HCC) will be designated as South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center (SC CADRE) Scholars. Building from multiple ongoing efforts, the leaders of the SC CADRE are proposing a dual-level, integrated Research Education Core with an explicit focus on cancer health disparities. Expanded research education and training opportunities will be directed to both levels of Scholars. To realize the goal of the SC CADRE Research Education Core, the SCSU and MUSC-HCC Core Co-Leads plan to establish a new undergraduate SC CADRE Honors Program in Applied Oncology Sciences Research within the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences at SCSU to increase the pipeline of highly skilled, diverse undergraduates who pursue careers in biomedical research and cancer disparities. A new cancer research career development program at SCSU and MUSC-HCC will also be implemented for junior faculty who are interested in establishing independent careers in cancer disparities research. Within the Research Education Core, the SC CADRE undergraduate and junior faculty Scholars will interact as they participate in coursework and/or career development programming, weekly SC CADRE Research Club meetings, monthly seminar series, and an annual SC CADRE Cancer Health Equity Research Symposium. Through the Research Education Core, SCSU will hire two new junior faculty Scholars and MUSC-HCC will hire one new junior faculty Scholar, all of whom will be early-stage investigators (ESIs). Both levels of Scholars will actively engage in numerous SC CADRE enrichment activities and activities planned by the Community Outreach Core, which will work directly with Research Education Core leadership to stress the importance of community engagement in developing, conducting, and disseminating cancer disparities research.
