Programs

Developmental Research Program || Career Development Program

Developmental Research Program

The objective of the University of Chicago Breast Cancer SPORE Developmental Research Program (DRP) is to create a streamlined and transparent mechanism for soliciting and selecting exciting and novel research projects that have significant potential for translational success.  Such projects may be collaborative among scientists within our SPORE or outside the SPORE environment.  Most importantly, they should be innovative, have the potential for high impact results, and preferably be multi-disciplinary. 

Criteria for Selection: 

1. Scientific merit and potential relevance to clinical breast cancer
   
2. Originality
   
3. Expertise of key personnel
   
4. Perceived likelihood of generating peer-reviewed external grant support to establish further work in preclinical and clinical work in breast cancer
   

The University of Chicago Breast Cancer SPORE DRP will provide $50,000/year ($25,000 of SPORE funds matched with $25,000 of institution support) to each of four projects per year.  There will be a possibility of a second year of support based on progress.  The University of Chicago SPORE Executive Committee will work with the Internal Advisory Committee to encourage successful investigators to pursue independent funding so that even investigators who may be new to breast cancer research will have a high likelihood of successful application of their ideas to breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Specific Aims:

1. Establish a mechanism for soliciting DRP applications that reaches beyond cancer center members and the local SPORE community to all biological, physical, computer and social science faculty members at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, as well as to investigators at other SPOREs nationwide.
   
2. Encourage, support, and nurture interdisciplinary collaboration using the expertise of our interdisciplinary Internal Scientific Advisory Committee.
   
3. Select and assess projects that help generate new hypotheses for development as full-fledged SPORE projects.
   
   

Career Development Program

This program will be used to support early careers of the most promising junior investigators and to recruit new senior investigators into breast cancer translational research. The University of Chicago has long recognized the importance of clinician scientists capable of using clinical observations to inform and shape basic investigations, and in turn, evolving novel therapeutic approaches through laboratory discoveries. The Career Development Program of the Chicago Breast Cancer SPORE is committed to identifying and mentoring investigators interested in translational breast cancer research. The program will primarily provide tightly-structured, multidisciplinary mentoring for junior faculty with the greatest potential of developing independent programs in translational breast cancer research; however, exceptional senior faculty who demonstrate strong interest in developing such programs may also be eligible. Investigators may come from clinical or basic science backgrounds, provided that their research aims are translational in nature. We will use a rigorous review process, working with department Chairs to identify and recruit the most talented and promising candidates to participate in our comprehensive mentoring program. Programmatic leadership and individual mentoring will be provided by a multidisciplinary mentoring committee, which must include the necessary representation from the basic/population sciences, clinical sciences, and biostatistics so that all disciplines are represented for optimal mentoring of the awardees. These mentors are established cancer researchers, and as members of the UCCRC, have access to all the Cancer Center sponsored Cores.

Please look for our announcement of Developmental Research Program and Career Development Program funding applications coming soon.