The mission of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI) is to promote original research in Obstetrics and Gynecology, including basic and translational research relevant to the discipline of Gynecologic Oncology, and to facilitate the career development of trainees and its junior members. The SGI members are a community of basic, translational and clinical investigators from all of the subspecialties of Obstetrics and Gynecology, including Gynecologic Oncology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Urogynecology as well as from related basic science departments. The society's mission has never been more important since half of university-based departments of Ob/Gyn have no NIH funding and there has been an actual decline in NIH grant submissions by Ob/Gyn physicians over the past 10 years. Most ominous has been the decline in U.S. medical student applications of Ob/Gyn residencies and the number of residents choosing subspecialty fellowships. The goal of this application is to enhance the scientific and didactic content in the area of Gynecologic Cancers at the SGI annual meeting, to provide increase access to the SGI's Annual Meeting for junior investigators and scientists in training, and to more widely publicize and disseminate the Annual Meeting's content. To meet these goals the following are proposed: 1) Enhancement of the Annual Meeting through recruitment of national and international faculty of the highest intellectual merit for postgraduate courses, mini-symposia and formal lectureships; 2) Financial support for the maximal participation of junior investigators in the area of cancer biology and Gynecologic Oncology, especially those from underrepresented groups; 3) Wider dissemination of the Annual Meeting's academic content with proceedings available on-line and on CD ROM. It is hoped that this initiative will stimulate greater interest in cancer research by those early in their careers, and will enhance the scientific exchange and collaboration of more senior investigators. ? ? ?
