# TCI Mentored Medical Student Summer Scholars (TCI-MMSSS) Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $97,027

## Abstract

The goal of our Tisch Cancer Institute (TCI) Mentored Medical Student Summer Scholars (TCI-MMSSS)
Program is to inspire medical students to pursue careers in cancer research through engagement in an
innovative, highly structured program of strongly mentored research and interactive curricular activities. Our
program builds upon the foundation of a successful 10 week pilot initiative of a summer mentored research
experience for medical students in which 69% of participants (rising second year medical students) have either
already completed or have committed to pursuing an additional year of research with their mentors. Our
proposed 15 week rigorously mentored research experience is designed to recruit exceptional, and highly
motivated students interested in cancer research and enriched by novel pedagogical approaches to foster an
innovative and nurturing learning environment using a strategically crafted Cancer Research Fundamental 101
(CRF 101) curriculum to advance research knowledge, mindset and skills. Our program leverages the
seasoned mentoring capacity and scientific strengths of the TCI scientific programs including Cancer
Immunology (CI), Cancer Mechanisms (CM), Cancer Clinical Investigations (CCI), and Cancer Prevention and
Control (CPC), as well as our acknowledged expertise in health equity and health disparities research. Our
program is also informed by excellence in basic, translational, clinical and population research in community-
recognized catchment-relevant cancers including Liver, Lung, Multiple Myeloma, HIV-related malignancies and
Prostate Cancer as well as Breast, Gastrointestinal and Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Our program Multi-PI
Leadership team reflects complementary expertise in pre-doctoral education and medical student research to
ensure the realization of potential for cancer research by each student participating in the TCI-MMSSS
Program. We propose a holistic valuation process that incorporates validated tools to evaluate students,
mentors, and the overall program to achieve continuous quality improvement and propose to follow program
alumni over several years to obtain longitudinal outcomes to assess integration of cancer research into medical
careers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10889119
- **Project number:** 5R25CA281789-02
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES L. M. FERRARA
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $97,027
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-17 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10889119

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10889119, TCI Mentored Medical Student Summer Scholars (TCI-MMSSS) Program (5R25CA281789-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10889119. Licensed CC0.

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