# Comprehensive Research Experiences to Advance Training and Education (CREATE) for Future Cancer Researchers

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $299,363

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Despite major advances in diagnosis and treatment, there remains a need for sustained research and
therapeutic innovation to reduce cancer burden. Besides experimental biology, the landscape of oncology
research now encompasses computational patient dataset mining for new biomarkers and therapeutic targets,
genome and epigenome analysis-based personalized medicine, and application of how sociodemographic and
socioeconomic disparities affect cancer incidence and outcomes. The next generation of researchers must
receive early exposure to this comprehensive, integrated view of modern oncology, so they can make informed
and innovative decisions regarding specialization or cross-specialization options throughout their future
education. The proposed CREATE program for future cancer researchers aims to accomplish this goal by
integrating a 10-week mentored undergraduate cancer research program with foundational modules on
computational drug discovery and development and cancer health disparities-based research. This program will
build and expand on the UMMSOM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC)-sponsored pre-existing
summer program infrastructure to facilitate research projects tailored to individual scholar interest alongside
comprehensive academic and career development support. Complementarily, through a hands-on mini-project,
CREATE scholars will receive hands-on instruction in bioinformatics and computational approaches required to
develop a robust therapeutic pipeline. SCCC serves a diverse catchment area that will be leveraged to provide
CREATE scholars with unique opportunities for understanding the impact of cancer disparities at the community
level on disease incidence and treatment outcomes. Currently, only undergraduates actively engaged in
computational projects or health disparities research benefit from their exposure to these essential research
areas. Our proposed curriculum will ensure all our scholars develop a working understanding of these areas in
addition to accomplishing substantive bench research with world-class faculty mentors. CREATE scholars will
also experience clinical oncology components including physician shadowing and basic instruction in Phase I
trial design. They will receive sustained programmatic and peer mentoring support as they navigate the next
steps in their academic training. An important aspect of enhancing the cancer research workforce is outreach
and engagement with student populations who do not have research opportunities due to their location or
circumstances. SCCC is only the second NCI-designated center in the entire state of Florida. As such, our
institutional summer program receives more qualified applicants than we can support, demonstrating a clear
interest from undergraduates across the country in our cancer research resources and environment. We are,
thus, in a unique position to offer the innovative CREATE program to help produce the next generation of cancer
researcher...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10458769
- **Project number:** 5R25CA261632-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Priyamvada Rai
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $299,363
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10458769

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10458769, Comprehensive Research Experiences to Advance Training and Education (CREATE) for Future Cancer Researchers (5R25CA261632-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10458769. Licensed CC0.

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