Carcinogenesis Training Program

This proposal requests support for 9 pre-doctoral students in the Carcinogenesis Training Program at Northwestern University, currently entering year 30. Its goal is to provide comprehensive, rigorous research training in cancer biology and a focus for interdisciplinary interactions among students and faculty in the Cancer Biology Cluster, one of nine intercampus “Research Clusters” in Northwestern University’s Life and Biomedical Sciences (NULABS) Programs. Dr. Kathleen Green serves as PI of this T32 and co-director of the Cancer Biology Cluster, which will serve as the primary source of students for 27 preceptors. The highly interactive preceptor group represents 15 departments/divisions (12 in Chicago and 3 in Evanston). The group is supported by $32.1M in direct costs and brings training expertise in four cross-cutting areas that have been re-defined to reflect recent conceptual and technical developments in cancer biology, in particular Cancer Epigenetics through recruitment of faculty into a new Biochemistry Department. Focus areas are: 1) Cancer Epigenetics and Nuclear Dynamics, 2) Membranes, Organelles and Metabolism, 3) Tumor Environment and Metastasis and 4) Cancer and Physical Sciences. Students are typically appointed for a period of two years, after completing two years of coursework including required introductory and advanced cancer biology courses. Students are appointed on a competitive basis through rigorous evaluation and interview. 3-4 years of thesis research are accompanied by T32-specific meetings comprising research-in-progress reports, career development presentations, training in the responsible conduct of research, student-organized event planning and additional enrichment activities. 111 students have completed the program since its inception, with 22 continuing in training. Over its 29-year duration, 81% of T32 graduates went into academic/industry research, largely in the area of cancer biology. During the past 10 years, students