Stanford Cancer Imaging Training (SCIT) Program

NIH RePORTER · NIH · T32 · $413,296 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

This proposal is a competing renewal for our longstanding T32, the Stanford Cancer Imaging Training (SCIT) Program. Drs. Jeremy Dahl, PhD, and Bruce Daniel, MD, will lead this program, which features 25 mentors with independent funding and 10 (7 internal/3 external) distinguished program advisors. This is a 2-year program that trains 5 fellows (a mix of PhD and radiology-trained MDs) per year over a 5-year funding cycle. Our required coursework includes 2 courses in the clinical/cancer sciences, 2 in imaging science, 1 in biostatistics, 1 in medical ethics (“Responsible Conduct of Research”), 2 workshops in grant writing, an attendance at a minimum of 4 multidisciplinary tumor boards, and regular attendance during a continuing education workshop that covers topics in responsible conduct of research and rigor and reproducibility. In addition, trainees can select from a multitude of electives offered by various Stanford University faculty across numerous clinical, science, and engineering departments. Each trainee’s primary focus is a mentored cancer-imaging research project aimed at publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at National meetings. We pair each trainee with both a basic science and physician mentor, to provide guidance in course and research-topic selection and to develop a translational mindset. Through the SCIT program, we will continue our longstanding mission of training the next generation of researchers in the development and clinical application of advanced techniques for cancer imaging. In addition, we will recruit trainees from a nationwide pool that includes women, candidates from underrepresented minorities and/or with disabilities, and from disadvantaged backgrounds, so as to increase diversity in the U.S. research workforce. The need for the SCIT Program is even greater now than when it began in 1993. Radiology plays a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Our Department is one of the very few that has been able to grow in response to this role and embrace what is now a multidisciplinary vision towards image-based cancer research. The SCIT Program leverages the Stanford Cancer Institute (an NIH-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center) and the Stanford Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection as well as many other Stanford resources and programs. All of our SCIT trainees were productive while in the program with nearly 90% who continue research activity in cancer imaging today. Current trainees are pursuing research in radiology- pathology fusion to predict treatment response of breast cancer, improving accuracy of prostate cancer detection on MRI with deep learning methods, optical coherence tomography histology to decrease the positive margin rate in lumpectomy for breast cancer, developing a partial ring time-of-flight positron emission tomography scanner with 3D event positioning to visualize and quantify cancer lesions, AI-based detection models to distinguish ductal carcinoma in ...

Key facts

NIH application ID
10716073
Project number
2T32CA009695-31
Recipient
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Principal Investigator
BRUCE L DANIEL
Activity code
T32
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2023
Award amount
$413,296
Award type
2
Project period
1993-02-01 → 2028-08-31