Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

Training and Education have been central to the mission of the Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) since its inception. Aligned with the SCI Strategic Plan, SCI Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Core (CRTEC) integrates and organizes resources to (1) coordinate and promote cancer training, education and career development activities across the training continuum within the SCI and across Stanford University; (2) develop and foster continuous quality improvement and evaluate the impact of CRTEC programs on training and education. CRTEC provides SCI members and their trainees with a central point of contact for cancer-related training and education across the Stanford Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Humanities & Sciences. CRTEC oversees a large portfolio of training grants that include 4 NCI-funded and 14 other cancer-relevant T32 training programs and a new American Cancer Society Institutional Research Pilot Grant program. The SCI Fellowship Program, in existence since 2014, provides a critical source of funding that enables trainees to complete their cancer research training while applying for extramural support and transitioning to faculty appointments. During the current funding period, the SCI has provided a total of $1.5 million from institutional funds to support 24 SCI fellows, of those 8 SCI fellows hold cancer-focused K08 awards, and 9 SCI fellows have transitioned to faculty positions over the current funding period. Educational activities sponsored by the SCI include an annual multi-day research symposium for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, currently in its twelfth year, a weekly seminar series in cancer biology, and weekly oncology seminars focused on clinical and translational research. Programs are also in place for high school students and for Masters students, including for those with existing MD degrees. Future plans include hosting an annual Junior Faculty Forum and fostering interactions.