Career Enhancement Program

The University of Hawai`i Cancer Center (UHCC) SPORE Career Enhancement Program (CEP) will identify and mentor investigators who show promise for independent research careers in translational research addressing differences in cancer risk and outcomes among populations of our catchment area. We understand that creating a sustained, high-impact translational research program is dependent upon attracting the most promising investigators from a talented pool representing our catchment area, and to help these faculty members excel through quality mentorship and research support. UH Cancer Center members have access to unique opportunities in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific to do innovative research in translational research in cancer due to the multiple populations living here and their varying cancer incidence and outcomes. Further, Hawaiʻi's high-quality health care and cancer registration systems offers access to needed resources for these studies. UHCC has an extensive record of successfully working with Hawaii's populations around issues related to differences in cancer risk and outcomes for various cancers. We also have a long track record of mentoring our promising junior faculty to independent research careers. The UHCC has also been successful engaging established researchers in developing new projects in translational cancer research by providing forums to disseminate and discuss ideas that are important to cancer prevention and treatment in our catchment. The goal of the CEP is to provide funding and mentoring to junior faculty to develop independent research programs and to provide support to established investigators to greatly enhance or refocus their careers on translational research addressing population differences in cancer risk and outcomes. In service of this goal, we propose the following Specific Aims: 1) Coordinate identification of promising new research in translational research from junior faculty and established investigators looking to refocus their research in this area; 2) Provide training, career development and mentoring to awardees in translational research; 3) Monitor the progress of CEP awardees as they develop independent careers and/or new research programs, and assess effectiveness of the CEP approach. Through these activities, we will foster development of new faculty who conducts highly collaborative translational research focusing on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders aimed at understanding differences in cancer risk and outcomes in Hawaiʻi, the Pacific Islands, and more broadly on the US and global stages.