Molecular Oncology Training Grant

Abstract Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide and the second leading cause of death in the United States. Molecular oncology is an interdisciplinary medical specialty at the interface of medicinal chemistry and oncology that refers to the investigation of the molecular basis of cancer and tumors and the development and application of targeted therapies. The field includes a diverse group of investigators with strengths in cancer stem cells, DNA damage repair and genomic instability, tumor-host interactions, and other fundamental areas of cancer biology. Areas of scientific focus in our program include basic cancer biology, computational oncology, solid tumor oncology, and hematopoietic malignancies. The Molecular Oncology Training Program at Washington University proposes to train the next generation of basic scientists, including 4 predoctoral and 4 postdoctoral trainees per year. Predoctoral PhD students follow the curriculum of the Washington University graduate school. After passing their qualifying examination, they enter the laboratory of participating faculty Mentors for 3-4 years of laboratory research to complete their dissertation. Postdoctoral Ph.D. trainees from around the world apply to participating laboratories. The duration of postdoctoral training depends on prior experience, but typically they conduct research for 2-3 years before transitioning to an independent research position. The current training program provides funding for 2 years for each trainee within a structured program. Trainees receive intensive mentoring and career counseling, participate in program- specific annual retreat, didactic course and clinical-translational mentoring rotations, journal clubs, and a variety of specific scientific and career building workshops, as well as training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility. Other courses, including those in Responsible Conduct of Research, are provided by the Washington University graduate school and the Institute of Clinical Translational Science. Completion of this program will prepare talented trainees for careers in basic and translational cancer research, to make discoveries that will transform the diagnosis and treatment of malignant disorders.