Core 4: Shared Resource - Capacity Development

It is challenging to build successful research collaborations. Successful collaborations are even more challenging when working across institutions and with early-stage investigators (ESIs). To overcome these challenges, we developed the Capacity Building Core. The Core's goal is to provide resources and mentorship to build joint collaborations between City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center (CoHCCC) and University of California, Riverside (UCR) ESI. We aim to build collaborations that 1) increase UCR capacity for drug development capacity - at all stages of the drug-develop pipeline and 2) result in independent NIH-funding. The Capacity Core will match UCR ESIs with senior CoHCCC and UCR investigators. Senior CoHCCC investigators will be selected based on their prior proven ability to 1) successfully mentor ESIs and 2) help them attain independent NIH funding. U54 PI, Drs. Ernest Martinez (UCR) and Victoria Seewaldt (CoH) have extensive mentorship experience and will lead the Capacity Core. Under the Capacity Core, UCR-CoH Mini-Pilots will be 1) crafted by ESIs under senior mentorship, 2) competed, and 3) teams awarded $100,000 for one year. Our P20 planning grant shows us that success of a pilot project is increased when ESI have senior mentors from both CoH and UCR; therefore UCR ESI applying for Mini-Pilots are required to have a CoH and UCR mentor. In Years 1 and 2 a total of 3 Mini-Pilots will be funded/year. These 6 Mini-Pilots will be an important opportunity for us to build joint UCR ESI-CoH grants and capacity at UCR. In Years 3-5, $200,000 originally allocate to the Capacity Building Core, will be re-allocated to support two new Pilots – Pilots 3 and 4. In Years 3-5, we will offer 1 Mini- Pilot/year. CoH discretionary funds ($100,000/year) will allow us to either supplement Pilot Projects or increase the number of Mini-Pilots offered in Years 3-5.