Waltz Laboratory

National Cancer Institute T32 Training Program in Cancer Therapeutics

Program Summary

The opportunities for new and targeted approaches to cancer treatment are growing at an exponential pace. However, to effectively harness these opportunities requires a pool of researchers who can bridge the divide between the lab-based identification of new therapeutic approaches and the actual clinical needs and practicalities of patient care. Currently the pool of individuals with such background and skills is limited. The Pathways to Cancer Therapeutics Training Program seeks to address this shortfall by increasing the diversity and number of individuals with a strong training in the areas of cancer biology that underlie identification of new therapeutic approaches, who also have a true understanding of the challenges and needs associated with translating scientific discovery into the clinic. The Training Program has two key goals: The first goal is to provide trainees with a rigorous and applied understanding of how basic research in cancer biology can be utilized to identify new drug targets and more effective therapeutic strategies. The second goal is to provide trainees with an understanding of the challenges in employing cancer therapeutics in the clinic.  The training focuses on three areas that are key to development of new therapeutic approaches and are areas of institutional strength in cancer therapy: cancer metabolism, tumor immunology and host microenvironment, and translational cancer therapy.  A series of multidisciplinary activities are proposed to achieve the goals of the Program. (1) Trainees participate in a mentored research project under the direction of one of 29 faculty mentors who come from 10 basic science and clinical departments across the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center (CCHMC). The faculty research mentors have active, well-funded research programs and extensive mentoring experience. (2) Trainees receive formal training that includes didactic coursework, seminar attendance, ethics training and career development activities. The specialized classes lead to a Graduate Certificate in Clinical and Translational Research. (3) Trainees participate in activities in clinical oncology. Each trainee is paired with a clinical co-mentor who is an MD with expertise related to the trainee’s research area. The clinical co-mentor participates in the development of the trainee’s research project and career plan. In addition, trainees attend Tumor Boards/Grand Rounds and participate in clinical shadowing experiences with their co-mentor. The Training Program is administered by Multi-Principal Investigators (Drs Susan Waltz and Vinita Takiar) with support from business offices within UC/CCHMC. Three administrative committees provide program evaluation and oversight, support a rigorous trainee selection process, ensure excellence in training, monitor trainee progress and ascertain that trainees represent an ethnically and scientifically diverse group. There is a strong institutional commitment to the Training Program in the form of direct financial support, trainee benefits and administrative support. Institutional programs and Training Program mentors and trainees are actively involved in recruitment of underrepresented groups. The Training Program has support from the NIH for 3 postdoctoral and 5 predoctoral trainees. 

Program Goal:

The purpose of The Training Program in Cancer Therapeutics is to provide predoctoral and postdoctoral scientists training and mentorship on the action of therapeutic agents for use in the treatment of cancer. The training program will place emphasis on translating basic scientific discoveries into improved patient care and will incorporate mentors with expertise in the clinical and basic aspects of the use of therapeutic modalities.

Current Trainees:

• Paul Deford, PhD
• Andrew Harley, PhD
  
• Karmela Ramos-Gertz, PhD
• Megan Bischoff
• James Davis
  
• Angelle Jones
  
• Kiana Kawarizadeh
• Julianna Korns
  

Past Trainees and Current Positions: