UT Southwestern Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Award

There is a growing and pressing need to train the next generation of clinical oncology researchers. The overall objective and long-term goal of the UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Award (K12) is to meet our regional and national needs in the rapidly changing clinical and translational cancer research landscape by training a nimble and effective clinical and translational cancer research workforce. Our near-term goal is to support the transition from mentored to independent investigators. This Scholar-focused program will leverage world-class laboratory-based research, a rapidly growing and varied patient population, expanding clinical research infrastructure, and exceptional faculty to provide career development and mentorship to the next generation of clinical and translational cancer researchers through the following Specific Aims: (Aim 1) Ensure personalized research career development; (Aim 2) Support collaboration and innovation; (Aim 3) Promote the successful transition of trainees to independent research careers; (Aim 4) Contribute to a productive and effective clinical and translational cancer research workforce. To support these Aims, the SCCC K12 Program has five components: (a) selection of applicant and mentor (b) participation in a Scholar-driven research project with training potential, (c) gaining critical knowledge, (d) development of essential translational and clinical research skills, and (e) monitoring of career development. To provide mentorship and career development across the spectrum of cancer clinical trials and translational studies, Program Faculty span three categories: (1) Basic Science Mentors, (2) Translational/Clinical Science Mentors, and (3) Clinical Trial Experts. Additional faculty, Technical Advisors, will provide project-specific support in biostatistics, bioinformatics, biomarker development, imaging, molecular diagnostics, biospecimen acquisition and processing, pharmacology, and protocol implementation. The interdisciplinary approaches of these faculty will support personalized and relevant mentorship in all aspects of the Scholar’s research and career development, including hypothesis generation, experimental design and conduct, data analysis and presentation, clinical trial design and implementation, correlative study development and performance, grant and manuscript preparation, project management, and team leadership. In Year 1, we will develop curriculum and evaluation materials. We will also initiate recruitment among institutional junior faculty, trainees, and external faculty candidates. Faculty from different scientific perspectives will provide Scholars with truly interdisciplinary training. Scholars will (a) develop clinical research skills; (b) receive instruction and experience in interacting and communicating with basic scientists and training in hypothesis-driven approaches; and (c) obtain laboratory experience while moving their research toward a translational and therapeutic endpoint.