Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

A central mission of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) is to support the career development of aspiring and experienced cancer researchers, physicians, and professionals. The Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) component of the UCCCC plays a critical role in integrating and centralizing cancer-focused educational and professional development activities across the institution. The aims of CRTEC are aligned with the stages of the cancer research career continuum, and our CRTEC initiatives seek specifically to engage trainees at the high school, undergraduate, graduate/medical school, postgraduate/postdoctoral, and faculty levels. The program’s objective is to enhance institutional efforts in scientific training, mentorship, and career progression by leveraging existing infrastructure and facilitating programmatic collaboration across the UCCCC, the University of Chicago, and local academic institutions. Key features of the program include: (1) A comprehensive structure that supports researchers across career stages; (2) Strong partnerships with institutions throughout the Chicago region, including neighboring schools and universities; (3) A leadership and mentoring team composed of experienced faculty and staff dedicated to implementing and evaluating CRTEC programs; (4) Coordination with the UCCCC Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) component and other institutional training activities to ensure effective resource utilization. During the current funding period, the UCCCC invested significant resources to: (1) Integrate institutional cancer-focused training and mentoring activities across the career continuum; (2) Develop new pathway programs for high school and college students interested in cancer research careers; (3) Enhance multidisciplinary, specialized training opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; and (4) Enhance career development opportunities for senior fellows and early-career faculty. Our long-term goal, consistent with the UCCCC Strategic Plan, is the development and integration of innovative career enhancement activities to nurture the cancer-focused career ambitions of trainees at all levels and to grow a skilled cancer research workforce equipped to advance cancer discovery and care.