DEVELOPMENTAL FUNDS - ABSTRACT Developmental Funds are requested to support five areas of high importance in accordance with the UHCC strategic plan: Faculty Recruitment, Pilot Projects, Early Stage Clinical Investigators, Staff Investigators, and Purchase of Peer-reviewed Shared Services to bring PDX services to the Center. The objective of the University of Hawai‘i’s Cancer Center’s (UHCC) Developmental Funds is to strengthen cancer research capabilities, foster scientific progress, improve patient outcomes, decrease cancer health disparities, and advance our understanding of cancer. These objectives feed directly into UHCC’s mission to reduce the burden of cancer in the State of Hawai‘i and the US Affiliated Pacific Islands. In alignment with the UHCC strategic plan, we propose to use Developmental Funds to support four Aims: 1) Identify and recruit key faculty with the leadership and research vision to expand our programs’ breadth and depth; 2) Identifying and funding innovative pilot projects among UHCC Members to advance cancer research in key areas; 3) Encourage next- generation translational scientists and physicians by jump-starting their research pathways; and 4) Strengthen our commitment to bringing state-of-the-art treatment options by supporting preclinical services through funding of a Staff Investigator and collaborating with an external PDX Shared Resource. By supporting these areas, we will strengthen our existing Research Programs and achieve our stated vision to be a global leader in cancer care, prevention, and education, significantly reducing the cancer burden in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. The designated Developmental Funds will foster new collaborations, enhance translational and clinical science capabilities for both CB and PSP Programs, and address the needs of our faculty members. Effective internal and external advisory processes have been established to guide the allocation of Developmental Funds. Our successful utilization of prior Developmental Funds is evidence of UHCC’s ability to leverage funding to make transformative advances in basic, translational, and clinical research.