# Behavioral and Psychosocial Research Training in Cancer Prevention and Control

> **NIH NIH T32** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $282,450

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 This application, the first competing renewal for our T32 program, requests funds to continue to provide
multi-disciplinary post-doctoral research training focused on behavioral and psychosocial aspects of cancer
prevention and control at the Northwestern University (NU) Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) and Robert H.
Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (RHLCCC). The goal of this program is to provide outstanding training for
its postdoctoral fellows so that they become successful, independent leaders in cancer research. The program
will accomplish this goal by providing each trainee with a mentored research experience in cancer prevention
or control. The program’s 24 participating faculty are funded PIs of grants totaling $53 million in direct costs
annually, an average of $2.2 million per PI. The group includes 19 PhDs and 5 MDs from 7 departments at
Northwestern. All mentors are leading experts in the areas of cancer risk behaviors and screening,
measurement and intervention science, patient reported outcomes, or community engagement. By teaching
trainees to apply cutting edge measurement and intervention science strategies to the behavioral and
psychosocial aspects of cancer prevention and control, we will train a next generation of researchers to reduce
cancer risk, address disparities, and improve the lives of community members affected by cancer in a more
efficient and more cost-effective fashion. Research experiences will be complemented by a weekly seminar,
professional development activities, and the opportunity to enroll in either the MPH, MSCI, MSEB, or HSOR
master’s programs. The Program creates an individual development plan (IDP) for each trainee and provides
regular oversight by a primary mentor and co-mentor to meet training goals.
 Trainees also have access to a vast array of educational resources made available by the University for
all postdoctoral trainees, including biweekly sessions dedicated to career development, “survival” skills, and
learning to succeed and flourish. The program enrolls three new postdoctoral fellows in each of years 1-4, with
balanced representation of fellows in cancer prevention and cancer control. We expect to continue to have a
large pool of potential trainees of whom a majority have a research background (PhD in a behavioral or social
science, exercise science, or nutrition) and a minority have a clinical background (MD intending to pursue a
physician/scientist career). External and Internal Advisory Committees will continue to oversee all aspects of
the Program. Ongoing evaluation and feedback from the Advisory Committees will ensure that changes are
implemented as needed and that training goals are consistently met. The program meets a pressing need to
train a next generation of career investigators who can develop, optimize, and evaluate behavioral and
psychosocial assessments and interventions to prevent and control cancer and improve quality of life.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10460451
- **Project number:** 5T32CA193193-08
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID CELLA
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $282,450
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-09-23 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10460451

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10460451, Behavioral and Psychosocial Research Training in Cancer Prevention and Control (5T32CA193193-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10460451. Licensed CC0.

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