Career Enhancement Program

Career Enhancement Program - Abstract The long-term success of national efforts to reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality rests in part on the ability of Breast Cancer SPORE programs to attract and build the translational research careers of talented young faculty. Since 1992, the UNC Breast Cancer SPORE has used career development funds to promote the breast cancer research careers of selected investigators. The SPORE Career Enhancement Program (CEP) both recruits externally and identifies internal faculty with interest in translational breast cancer research. The CEP then matches junior faculty with training offerings and senior mentors. We seek to enrich the field with our efforts. DRP funding for junior investigators also adds to the pool of developing translational faculty. Over the 29 years of the program our CEP has successfully recruited and mentored junior faculty who have become UNC and national leaders’ co-recruitment with departments across campus attracts exceptional talent to UNC and its Cancer Center. The SPORE CEP makes available extended training for junior faculty with an interactive group of respected and successful investigators who can influence and help build careers. The combination of an excellent talent pool and an effective training and mentoring program has resulted in an elite cadre of breast cancer researchers contributing to national breast cancer effort. Several have already been funded by NCI or foundations. Our CEP awardees over the years have published ground-breaking research, been awarded grants to further their efforts, and conducted and analyzed clinical and population trials advancing breast cancer translational research. CEP program participants have also become SPORE leaders. Our current award includes several leaders who are past CEP awardees. To continue this success this UNC Breast Cancer SPORE requests $50,000 yearly to support career development; these funds will combine with an average of $400,000-$500,000 yearly in institutional funds provided for recruitment, start- up commitments and career development.