# Microenvironmental Influences in Cancer

> **NIH NIH T32** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $434,887

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This renewal application seeks continuing support for the “Microenvironmental Influences in
Cancer” Training Program (MICTP) at Vanderbilt University. Over the past 30 years and
continuing with the 5-year period preceding this competitive renewal, we have been remarkably
successful in recruiting and training excellent students and postdoctoral fellows, particularly
those from groups underrepresented in science. Based on the strength of our training faculty, in
the next five years we will focus on training our students and postdoctoral fellows in emerging
areas of tumor microenvironment, including single cell approaches to understand the complexity
of the microenvironment, bioinformatics and quantitative analysis of large datasets, tumor
immunology and immunotherapy, hypoxia and blood vessel normalization, and extracellular
vesicles.
Overall, the MICTP training program encompasses a group of 24 faculty members from the
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine who are experts in research on tumor
microenvironment. The training program is conducted within a vibrant academic environment
and is supported by close interactions with the Vanderbilt-lngram Comprehensive Cancer
Center. In addition to preceptor-specific laboratory instruction, each trainee receives program-
specific training in the form of (1) Topical workshops, which introduce trainees to emerging
fields of the tumor microenvironment; (2)“Cancer Precision Medicine” course that includes an
individualized clinical experience, (3) a bi-weekly T-32 Scientific Forum with trainee “chalk talk”
and faculty presentations, (4) an annual MICTP mini-retreat, and (5) a five-session grant
workshop. Faculty preceptors also receive training to be culturally aware good mentors.
Furthermore, predoctoral students are supported by an Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and
a graduate program in Cancer Biology. Postdoctoral trainees are supported by an institutional
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, which provides both financial and academic support as well as
career development advice and opportunities. Significant institutional investment in training
programs, core facilities, state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment further enhances trainee
development. Training in this critical area of cancer research is essential to build the workforce
required to understand the complexities of the microenvironmental influence on cancer
development and progression, and to translate this information into more effective and less toxic
approaches to the treatment and prevention of cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9881248
- **Project number:** 5T32CA009592-32
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jin Chen
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $434,887
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-08-15 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9881248

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9881248, Microenvironmental Influences in Cancer (5T32CA009592-32). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9881248. Licensed CC0.

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