# Cancer Biology Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 2020 · $256,590

## Abstract

Abstract
This competing renewal application requests a second five-year support by the Ruth Kirschstein National
Research Service Award (T32) for our “Cancer Biology Training Program” based at the University of Texas
Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The goal of the Cancer
Biology Training Program is to educate and train the next generation of cancer researchers (pre- and
postdoctoral trainees) to meet the growing demands for scientists trained in multiple facets of cancer biology.
Since the start of the T32 award in August 2011, all trainee positions (1 predoctoral and 3 postdoctoral) have
continuously been filled. As a result, to date four predoctoral students and seven postdoctoral fellows have
been appointed as T32 trainees including three from populations that are underrepresented in the biomedical
sciences. Going forward, we request funds to support the same number of predoctoral (1) and postdoctoral (3)
trainees. Trainees will be selected for their academic achievements and their dedication to cancer research.
The training program has 28 faculty mentors (19 full professors, 6 associate professors, and 3 assistant
professors; 22 men and 6 women) from 8 departments who have full faculty privileges in the Graduate School
as well as in the NCI-designated Cancer Center, the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), and with
diverse expertise that provides depth and breadth of research opportunities for trainees. The mentors, who
share several collaborative projects and are very interactive, have a strong record of funded research (average
direct costs >$500K per mentor in the current year) as well as in mentoring predoctoral and postdoctoral
fellows. The Training Program includes predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees who are appointed for a period of
two to three years. The training curriculum (including two cancer biology core courses, a cancer biology journal
club, and a drug development lecture series) stresses both basic and translational approaches to provide
outstanding training for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in broad range of contemporary topics in cancer
biology and to give them a solid background in oncology necessary for their success in research both near-
term and long-term. The curriculum, which has recently been revitalized with introduction of new didactics in
bioinformatics, also emphasizes training in scientific communication with opportunities to improve both oral and
written skills. The training program leverages the growing basic and clinical research opportunities on campus
and active seminar series, especially at CTRC – the only NCI-designated Cancer Center in South Texas, and
strong across-the-board institutional support from the PI's department chair to the university president. This
sole NCI-funded T32 Training Program at our institution is uniquely poised to train a diverse cadre of upcoming
cancer researchers because a large number of underrepresented minority ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9956983
- **Project number:** 5T32CA148724-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** LUZHE SUN
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $256,590
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-08-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9956983

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9956983, Cancer Biology Training Program (5T32CA148724-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9956983. Licensed CC0.

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