Tumor Immunology and Cancer Cell/Molecular Biology

The continuing goal of this training grant for seven predoctoral and two postdoctoral fellows in Tumor Immunology and Cancer Cell/Molecular Biology is to educate and train scientists for research and education in academia, government and industry. The training grant program is housed in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology but also includes faculty from the Departments of Biochemistry, Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology and Radiation Medicine. The program of study is based on a new Integrated Biomedical Sciences Curriculum which provides a strong didactic base in Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Signaling, Genetics, and Molecular Biology during the first year along with the availability of exciting well-funded research programs administered by faculty with experience in training both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows. A major strength of this program is the strong interactive training environment which exists with regard to both teaching and research. This has resulted in a high degree of collaborative research among the program faculty and trainees and with scientists outside the institution. Research training in which the 24 participating faculty are currently involved encompasses the areas of tumor immunology, oncogenes, tumor stem cells, gene regulation, molecular immunology and tumor metastasis. The program emphasizes multidisciplinary research training based on a foundation of formal instruction supported by guest and student seminar programs, journal clubs, laboratory research meetings, minisymposia, and attendance at regional and national meetings. The Cancer Center has recently recruited a new Cancer Center Director, Dr. Alfred Cohen from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute who has been given a substantial commitment to expand the faculty in cancer research which should benefit future training opportunities. In summary, this has been a successful program that has emphasized multidisciplinary training and has since 1985 trained 35 predoctoral and 16 postdoctoral fellows whose careers have developed in an exemplary manner.