Training and Education Program - Abstract Increasing diversity in biomedical research workforce to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities is a critical need recognized nationwide. The objective of this project is to perform feasibility study in enhancement of cancer research training and education for Howard students through the partnership of Howard University and Johns Hopkins Cancer Center. The hypothesis is that building high quality and sustainable collaborative cancer research training and education program at HBCU institutes can accelerate the improvement of number and quality of minority biomedical investigators. The design of this program is based on the overall priorities of the P20 application. Thereby, this feasibility study of cancer research training and education program will have a special emphasis on HPV- associated cancers and cancer health disparities.
Our specific aims are: 1) To establish an effective and sustainable mentoring network between the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes and Howard University to support a minority initiative in cancer research 2) To provide short-term cancer research training experience opportunities for Howard students interested in biomedical and behavioral health sciences to foster long-term career opportunities in these fields 3) To develop and implement a new institutional curriculum for cancer education among Howard health professional faculty, residents and students, with focus on an increasing important disease of HPV related oropharyngeal cancer, and related research and applications. Our ultimate goal is to create effective, sustainable and collaborative cancer research training and education infrastructure at Howard University to increase the development of minority candidates with careers focused on cancer research, and to improve the ability of health professional students in translation of new discoveries and innovation in the laboratory to the bedside, into practice and populations, to eliminate cancer health disparity. Successfully conducting of this project will greatly help the submission and funding NCI cancer education grant and/or cancer research training grant to support and extend the cancer research training and education infrastructure at Howard University. This Award will also have a significant impact on strengthening the cancer research environment at Howard University.
Training and Education Program - Project Narrative: This project includes feasibility studies in cancer research training and education through the partnership of Howard University and the Johns Hopkins Cancer Center leading to minority initiative. The project proposes to establish effective and sustainable mentoring network between Hopkins and Howard to support short-term cancer research training and new institutional curriculum of cancer education. The ultimate goal is to improve the number and quality of minority cancer researchers and facilitate cancer training and education in a minority serving institution.