# Interdisciplinary Research Training in Cancer Biology

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2024 · $296,612

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Our interdisciplinary program will focus on training pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows in cancer
biology so they can effectively decipher important research questions associated with human cancer. This will
be accomplished by integrating established, successful programs in diverse cancer biology themes together with
clinical exposure into one cohesive program. Trainees will receive didactic and non-didactic instruction;
laboratory-based basic science research training in cancer research and cutting-edge clinical applications; and
career development as independent cancer biologists. To further growth as important members of the scientific
community, students and fellows will receive ample training to articulate their ideas and communicate them
effectively, evaluate biomedical research and mentor others in scientific excellence. This program assembles a
cohesive group of faculty from various departments at the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Medicine,
College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Pharmacy. In the past 10 years, our program faculty trained 104
doctoral students and 109 post-doctoral students; our faculty have the experience and interdisciplinary focus to
guide this group of trainees to function in research teams pursuing multidisciplinary investigations. We mentor
trainees to be proficient at utilizing hypothesis-driven approaches as well as discovery-oriented research design
to address key problems. All trainees are required to complete foundation courses in graduate-level Genetics,
Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Ethics, Biostatistics, and
Bioinformatics, as well as Biology and Therapy of Cancer, which emphasizes clinical aspects of human cancer.
Unique features of this program include interdisciplinary training emphasizing bench to bedside (and vice versa)
research topics, as well as a mandatory Clinical Perspectives in Oncology workshop that encompasses tumor
boards and clinician shadowing to provide a bridge between the fundamental biology of cancer and clinical
cancer. Training also involves mandatory participation in the weekly Markey Cancer Center (MCC) Seminars,
Cancer Biology journal club, training workshops in specialized topics, and the Fellowship Boot Camp to increase
the number of individual fellowships and grants from our trainees. The ultimate objective of this program is to
develop a cadre of future scientists who will lead integrative team approaches and understand the complex issue
of cancer as it relates to potential prevention and treatment strategies. To ensure our commitment to the clinical
translation of basic science discoveries, MCC Associate Director Kathleen O’Connor, PhD, and Director B. Mark
Evers, MD, will serve as PIs for this team-based training program. UK places a significant emphasis on training
minority students, post-doctoral researchers and physicians; this program will continue to ensure the inclusion
of individu...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10894810
- **Project number:** 5T32CA165990-11
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Bernard Mark Evers
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $296,612
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-04-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10894810

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10894810, Interdisciplinary Research Training in Cancer Biology (5T32CA165990-11). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10894810. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*