Developmental Core

The Development Core (DC) will contribute to the SoCa Center’s mission to reduce cancer health risks and incidences in persistent poverty areas (PPAs) in the New York City (NYC) region by helping junior faculty develop new pilot research projects and preliminary data necessary for future extramural funding, and successfully compete for K and R-level grant mechanisms. The SoCa DC builds on a 20-year track record of exemplary outcomes among programs that promote the next generation of the biomedical research workforce at Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate), Cornell University (CU) and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). To address career development barriers, the DC will fund innovative pilot projects, led by early career faculty from SoCa partnering institutions. The DC pilot project recipients will be fully integrated into training and mentoring opportunities funded through the Career Enhancement Core (CEC), have access to a robust Research and Methods Core (RMC) to support the pilot projects, and participate in networking and career development activities organized by the Administrative Core (ADMIN). Further, we will fully integrate the SoCa Community Advisory Board (CAB) as partners in the prioritization, co-production, and dissemination of pilot projects, and review of future proposal submissions. In Aim 1, we will establish a SoCa pilot project program that will support 25 pilot projects (5 per year). The SoCa DC will directly fund 2 pilot projects per year. Downstate, CUIMC, and CU will each provide additional pilot funds to maximize cancer research activities. Early career faculty from Downstate, CUIMC, CU, and SoCa Scholars are eligible to apply. In Aim 2, we will enhance collaboration and synergy to develop new pilot project ideas by coordinating a SoCa Hub, which will provide centralized resources for early career investigators to participate in longstanding research cohort studies. SoCa Hub resources will be housed and maintained on the SoCa website as described in the ADMIN. Faculty across NYC with an interest in cancer research in persistent poverty areas will be eligible to participate. In Aim 3, we will expand a Mock Study Section program, that will engage participants from the SoCa Hub, SoCa Scholars (from CEC), SoCa pilot project PIs with opportunities to undergo an NIH-level review process for K or R-level grant submissions. Mock Study Sections will be comprised of SoCa faculty with NIH review experience. The SoCa DC will train scientists who will promote cancer research in NYC persistent poverty areas.