# Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) program

> **NIH NIH R25** · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $85,423

## Abstract

Abstract
 A diverse cancer workforce is critical for promoting cancer health equity, and research.
Effective mentoring is essential for nurturing and fostering underrepresented minority (URM)
trainees who face barriers to success in academic medicine. Good mentors guide mentees
continued professional development, provide a support system and help navigate barriers.
Formal training to improve mentoring skills benefits both the mentor and mentee, particularly
trainees from URM backgrounds. This supplement builds on the initiatives of the parent NCI
funded R25 Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Training Grant by aiming to strengthen the oncology
workforce pipeline by: 1) providing mentored cancer research experience to URM medical
students; 2) enhancing the mentoring skills of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who
serve as peer-mentors in academic research settings; and 3) organizing Science Clubs in
middle/high schools by Teacher Mentors.
 We propose to establish a new 8-week summer program for URM medical students in their
first year at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). The Oncology Physician
Training Initiative to Maximize Diversity (OPTIMD) will provide clinical shadowing and
research experience to URM medical students who will also serve as peer mentors and role
models to RUYES trainees. We will also initiate a formal peer-mentor training program for
graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and OPTIMD medical students who mentor RUYES
trainees. In addition, the Science Club Teacher Mentors initiative will establish after-school
Science clubs in 4 middle and high schools in school districts with high percentage of URM
students. This contribution is significant because it proposes to diversify the oncology workforce
by strengthening the pipeline, in alignment with the strategic goals of Rutgers Cancer Institute
and NCI commitment to increase diversity of the cancer research workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10603038
- **Project number:** 3R25CA247785-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Sunita Chaudhary
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $85,423
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10603038

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10603038, Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) program (3R25CA247785-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10603038. Licensed CC0.

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