# Career Enhancement Program

> **NIH NIH P50** · WISTAR INSTITUTE · 2022 · $88,354

## Abstract

Project Summary – Career Enhancement Program
The goal of the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) is to recruit, train and retain a diverse pool of outstanding
early-career investigators who are committed to pursuing translational skin cancer research. The CEP will be led
by two established investigators with complementary expertise in basic (Dr. Villanueva) and clinical (Dr.
Schuchter) melanoma research. Both co-Directors are committed to training and mentoring of translational
investigators and have an established record of recruiting and supporting women and minorities. The CEP will
primarily assist junior faculty in their career development, but more established investigators interested in
refocusing their research efforts on melanoma/skin cancer could also be considered. Women and
underrepresented minorities will be strongly encouraged to participate. Likewise, projects aimed at addressing
health disparities and/or skin cancer subtypes more common in underrepresented minorities will be encouraged
and given special consideration. A team of clinicians, educators and researchers with broad expertise in
translational research will ensure implementation of the specific aims of this program. With the support of the
University of Pennsylvania, the Abramson Cancer Center and The Wistar Institute, the CEP will provide junior
faculty the resources and guidance needed to establish innovative and fully funded independent skin cancer
research programs and become future academic leaders. The CEP will provide awardees with two years of
financial support for translational research projects in skin cancer with potential promotion to full SPORE projects
or independent grant support. Awardees are required to actively participate in SPORE functions, use the SPORE
Core resources, and provide both formal written progress reports and oral presentations. We have established
high standards and expectations for the research mentors and a formalized program of long-term awardee
mentorship. The program measures success by resulting publications, funding, and ultimately career
advancement and national recognition. We have an outstanding talent pool of candidates and an effective
training and mentorship program that will result in an exceptional group of skin cancer researchers. Our SPORE
CEP has had an outstanding record recruiting and training investigators for careers in translational skin cancer research.
Our past CEP awardees have published 74 papers during the past cycle and have been highly successful in obtaining
peer reviewed funding from NCI and/or other funding agencies. In addition, all past awardees have transitioned from
young investigators into leading academic positions and remain in the skin cancer field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10480867
- **Project number:** 5P50CA261608-02
- **Recipient organization:** WISTAR INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessie Villanueva
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $88,354
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-03 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10480867

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10480867, Career Enhancement Program (5P50CA261608-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10480867. Licensed CC0.

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