Cancer and Hematology Center K12 Pediatric Oncology Research Training Program
The K12 Pediatric Oncology Research Training Program provides a formal, comprehensive, multidisciplinary clinical research education program to train board-eligible or -certified pediatric clinical oncology faculty to design, implement, conduct, and analyze clinical research trials. Fully trained pediatricians who have successfully completed a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training program and have a career interest in pediatric oncology clinical research are eligible.
The K12 Pediatric Oncology Research Training Program trainees have the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designation of Paul Calabresi Scholars and are funded through a K12 grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
This is a comprehensive program in which trainees receive in-depth education through a core clinical research curriculum and participation in clinical research training in one of three specialized training tracks: genomics and precision medicine, immunology and cell therapy, epidemiology and survivorship.
These specialized areas have been purposely chosen as it is imperative that those pursuing pediatric oncology research possess a basic knowledge and understanding of research that is at the forefront of their discipline and that often cuts across different types of tumors.
Each of the clinical research pathways represents active and funded programs of significant research strength at our center, including mentorship with internationally recognized faculty and highly collaborative interactions between laboratory and clinical scientists. Within the field of pediatric oncology, they represent three critical areas, or tracks, in which clinical research success must occur for continued progress in childhood cancer outcomes.
This structure ensures that our scholars are engaging in the field’s most relevant areas of clinical research, while still providing the scholars with an opportunity to receive exceptional training in a disease-specific area.
Research Tracks and Mentorship
Scholars in the K12 Pediatric Oncology Research Training Program have two formally assigned mentors from within their research pathway. One mentor participates in laboratory-based research (wet lab or dry lab) and one mentor participates in clinical research. The K12 Pediatric Oncology Research Training Program mentors are chosen based on their experience in successfully mentoring individuals in their respective research areas and in their ability to maximize the scholar’s success in completing their project, as well as in their future career development.
In addition, laboratory-based research mentors are selected based on their track record in obtaining peer-reviewed funding and their ability to work as part of a mentoring team with complementary areas of strength and expertise. Scholars are required to meet weekly with at least one of their primary mentors and twice a month with both mentors.
Scholars will receive in-depth education through a core clinical research curriculum (through the Clinical Scientist Training Program) and participation in clinical research training in one of three specialized training tracks:
Funding and Expectations
Successful applicants will be appointed as instructors or assistant professors. Funding will cover salary and fringe benefits, project supplies, tuition and one trip per year. Candidates are expected to spend 75 percent of their time devoted to clinical research and career development activities.
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