NCI Integrative Cancer Scholars Program
Advancing the field of cancer research through mentorship
For 45 years, the U of A Cancer Center has offered doctoral students the Integrative Cancer Scholars program funded through an NIH National Cancer Institute T32 National Research Service Award. Integrative Cancer Scholars program is an innovative predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows training program that embraces a paired-mentor team approach to maximize the impact and significance of cancer research.
The goal of this Integrative Cancer Scholars program is to recruit, train and develop the next generation of leaders in cancer research. In addition to having mentors to offer their expertise, scholars participate in career development and national networking opportunities, including hosting thought leaders in the Cancer Biology Seminar Series, acquiring new targeted skills in educational workshops, and participating in community engagement with oncologists and biotechnology experts.
The program is designed to expose each trainee to the range of current thought in the cancer field, to teach state-of-the-art laboratory techniques, to emphasize critical thinking skills, to introduce real-world aspects of clinical work, and to refine their career-development skills, particularly in networking, communication and grant/manuscript preparation.
The postdoctoral training plan ensures that each trainee navigates a path of comprehensive training, leading to a mature scholarship and ability to conduct independent, cutting-edge research.
T32 scholars
This year, the Cancer Center chose six Integrative Cancer Scholars from more than 30 graduate applicants. Each scholar is from a different area of cancer research spread across various disciplines at the U of A. The scholars are Jesse Altemus, Matthew Coope, Alexis Cruickshank-Taylor, Madison Gamble, Rafael Romero and Manline Shao. Learn more about them below.
About the T32 Integrative Cancer Scholars Program
Scholars choose one basic science mentor and one clinical science mentor from among nationally competitive basic and physician scientists. From the mentor pair, the scholar selects a lead mentor from among the faculty with well-funded collaborative research programs in a broad range of cancer research specialties:
ICS is a unique program with distinct training events designed to integrate current molecular and clinical cancer concepts. Each scholar is expected to conduct original cutting-edge research under the guidance of the mentor-pair and to participate in clinical cases with their chosen physician mentor. They attend compulsory committee meetings and annual evaluations by the mentor-pair to ensure the progress of each trainee.
Scholars have support to travel and present their work at a national meeting. ICS is associated with the Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, which provides instruction in cancer causation, epidemiology, prevention, and grant writing through specific coursework and a symposium featuring presentations of pre- and postdoctoral research.
T32 leadership
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Dr. Jennifer Carew works with a student in her lab at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
Jennifer Carew, PhD, and Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD, are the multiple principal investigators of the project. Carew is a professor of medicine at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson and a member of the U of A Cancer Center Clinical and Translational Oncology Program. Curiel-Lewandrowski is the co-director of the Skin Cancer Institute at the cancer center, professor of dermatological medicine at the U of A College of Medicine and chief of their Division of Dermatology and the Alan and Janice Levin Family Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cancer Research.
Carew believes that receiving outstanding mentorship from an early-career stage is one of the most important determinants of long-term success for future leaders in translational cancer research on a national and international level.
“My goal as a mentor is to ensure that each person who trains in my lab leaves with a substantial record of achievements and is fully prepared for the next phase of their career development journey,” she said.
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Dr. Curiel aims the large confocal microscope, while Dr. Kang aligns the portable version in development to compare the imaging quality.