NRSA T32: Addressing Rural Cancer Inequities Through Scientific Excellence (ARISE)

The primary goal of this new application is to establish a training program to provide transdisciplinary and translational postdoctoral research training in rural cancer prevention and control. Appalachian Kentucky has the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the nation. To reduce this burden and achieve health equity, behavioral cancer training efforts must develop a new generation of collaborative and dynamic scientists. The ARISE program will help to meet this critical need by providing transdisciplinary, innovative, and multifaceted training opportunities to well-qualified postdoctoral scholars who will seek academic research roles in applied behavioral science, including intervention development and evaluation and dissemination and implementation science. Training will emphasize translating knowledge of risk factors into evidence-based behavioral interventions across the cancer spectrum (prevention to survivorship) for vulnerable rural residents. ARISE postdoctoral trainees will select one of three thematic behavioral cancer tracks: environment, risk behavior, and health care delivery. We will recruit two trainees each year for a two-year fellowship. The training program, based the Center for Health Equity Transformation (CHET), will operate in close collaboration with UK’s NCI-designated Markey Cancer Center, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (CARES), the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and numerous academic departments across UK’s 19 college campus. The 15 preceptors are well-funded investigators in transdisciplinary research programs with established collaborative relationships, representing diverse yet complementary areas of expertise at UK, including behavioral science, environmental health, translational research, and intervention and implementation science. The 5 co-mentors will offer peer support and the 6 methodology mentors will provide support for geospatial analysis, mHealth technology, research design and biostatistics. Each trainee will have a mentoring committee consisting of a preceptor with a funded program in her/his research area along with a co-mentor and methodology mentor. Trainees will participate in a rigorous, structured program focused on transdisciplinary and translational research that will include didactic coursework, workshops and ethics training, professional development activities; and grounded training experiences. The program will also help trainees gain individualized career development experiences that enhance profession skills and build professorial network, including scientific writing and presentation skills, grant preparation and review, and leadership skills. Program evaluation will include documentation and tracking of trainees and preceptors, pre and posttests for goals and professional progress and subjective assessments of the program. Evaluation data will also be shared with advisory committees.