CCR At a Glance

CCR puts a premium on training the cancer researchers of the future. As part of this mission, numerous programs are offered to students at various levels of training, enabling valuable mentoring to occur. Early career scientists work side-by-side with experienced ones in basic, clinical, and translational laboratories.

Training the Next Generation of Scientific Leaders

CCR maintains a robust core of scientists and physician scientists through active recruitment, technology-based training, and exceptional mentorship

High School

• The Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program, NCI-Frederick
  • Exposes high school seniors to research at NCI-Frederick

High School/College

• Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research
  • Links undergraduate students to leading scientists in research labs at NIH during the summer
• NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program
  • Offers competitive scholarships and training to exceptional students from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Cancer Research Interns (CRI) Program
  • Recruits and places students from under- represented or disadvantaged backgrounds into CCR labs
• Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP)
  • Offers research experience to bioengineering undergraduates who have completed the junior year

Post Baccalaureate

• Master of Science in Biotechnology with a Concentration in Molecular Targets and Drug Discovery Technologies
  • For graduate students at Johns Hopkins University who gain research experience at CCR
• The Post Baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Program
  • For recent college graduates who plan to apply to graduate or professional school
• The Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP)
  • For graduate students enrolled at universities who seek work at the NIH
• Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research
  • Links graduate students to leading scientists in research labs at NIH during the summer
• NIH Academy
  • For recent college graduates interested in health disparities
• The Technical Intramural Research Training Award Program
  • For college graduates with a bachelor’s or master’s degree who seek careers as research support professionals
• Year-Off Program for Graduate or Medical Students
• Biostatistics/Mathematics Training Fellowship
  • Informatics Training Program–currently being developed

Veterinary School

• Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research for Veterinary Medical Students
• Comparative Molecular Pathology Research Training Program
  • Offers an opportunity for doctors of veterinary medicine to earn a Ph.D. and gain eligibility for certification as a medical specialist in veterinary pathology. A non-degree postgraduate fellowship training program is also envisioned.

Medical/Dental School

• Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research
• Clinical Research Training Program
• Clinical Electives Program for Medical and Dental Students
• Year-Off Program for Graduate or Medical Students
• HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program

Postdoctoral Training – Ph.D./DVM

• Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA)
  • For recent doctoral graduates to enhance their research skills at NCI
• Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP)
  • For health professionals in multi-biomedical science disciplines to become leaders in the field of cancer prevention and control
• Postdoctoral Visiting Fellowship (VF)
  • For non-U.S. citizens
• NCI Transition Career Development Award (K99/R00) for New Investigators
• Fellowships in Technology Transfer
• NCI/FDA Research and Regulatory Review

Special Programs/Partnerships

• Johns Hopkins University Partnership in Drug Discovery Technologies
• NCI/GCF (Gynecologic Cancer Foundation) Fellowship
• Interagency Oncology Task Force (IOTF) Research and Regulatory Review Fellowship
• NCI/AFUD Urologic Oncology Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Training Program
  • This program is designed in collaboration with the American Foundation for Urologic Diseases (AFUD/AUA) to train Ph.D. postdoctoral scientists in the growing field of urologic oncology fellowships

Postdoctoral Courses/Training

• Translational Research in Clinical Oncology (TRACO)
• Statistical Analysis of Research Data and Statistical Tutorial
• Career Grant Working Group
• Cancer Biotechnology
• Scientific Management Training
• Redox Biology
• Science Writing
• Fellows Editorial Board
  • Free confidential scientific document editing service
• Grand Rounds Seminars

Postdoctoral Training–M.D.

Clinical Investigator Development Program

For board-eligible/board-certified translational researchers to transition from a mentored to an independent investigator researcher, so they will qualify for highly competitive tenure-track appointments in academia, government, or industry.

Clinical Fellowship Program

• ACGME Clinical Residency in Anatomic Pathology
• ACGME Medical Oncology Fellowship
• ACGME Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
• Dermatology Fellowship
• Gynecologic Cancer Foundation/NCI Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology
• Hematopathology Fellowship
• HIV and AIDS Malignancy
• Clinical Training Program
• Radiation Oncology Residency Program
• Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program
• NCI/AFUD Urologic Oncology
• M.D. Research Training Program
• Cytopathology Fellowship Program
• Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program

 

Postdoctoral

• Individual Development Plan
  • Serves as a blueprint to discuss expectations and progress
• Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) Program Manager oversees CRTA training
• Annual CCR-FYI Colloquium
  • Builds trainees’ presentation, organizational, networking, and research skills through poster sessions and oral presentations
• CCR Fellows’ seminar series
• Alternative Scientific Careers (sponsored by the NIH Fellows committee)
  • Explores alternative careers in industry, patents/patent law/technology transfer, teaching, science writing/editing, science administration/grants management, science policy
• New Postdoctoral Researchers’ Orientation

Staff Scientist and Staff Clinician

• CCR’s investigators are evaluated annually by their lab or branch chief. Mentoring, publication, and career placement of former trainees are discussed at the annual budget meeting and are used to determine any potential increases or decreases in personnel
• Evidence of mentoring activities (publication with their trainees, participation of the trainee at national/international meetings, participation of the trainee in courses and workshops, and positions that are held by their former trainees) is evaluated when investigators go through their quadrennial site visit and BSC review

Tenure-Track Investigator (TTI)

• Individual career development plan in pursuit of tenure
  • The plan includes seminars, training, meetings with a TTI advisory committee, site visits, and BSC reviews that are scheduled within the Office of Scientific Programs
• Selection of a secondary mentor or an Advisory Committee
• Annual evaluation with his/her Lab Chief and secondary mentor or advisory group
• Meetings with the Scientific Director or his/her designee
• Tenure-Track Investigators Committee
  • To assist the TTI in issues specific to junior principal investigators and pertinent to obtaining tenure at NCI/NIH
• Tenure-Track Retreat

Senior Investigators

• Sabbaticals
• Centers of Excellence and Faculty Working Groups
  • Further develop leadership and organizational skills through collaborations
• Mentoring training sessions are offered to scientific staff on a regular basis
• Women Scientists’ Advisors (WSA) meet with CCR’s Director and/or Deputy Director(s) to discuss leadership and other issues pertinent to women scientists, including leadership and mentoring

Evaluation of Investigator Mentoring

• Annual review of Staff Scientists and Staff Clinicians with their lab or branch chief
• Staff Scientist/Staff Clinician Organization
• Staff Scientist/Staff Clinician Annual Retreat
  • Raises visibility of the scientists, disseminates information for the quadrennial review process, and assists in career development

Distinctive Alumnae from CCR are contributing as:

• Department chairs for over 100 U.S. medical centers and universities
• Leaders of many biotechnology companies
• Leaders of many cancer centers
• Scientists in academia and in many government research labs, institutes, and agencies
• Two Nobel laureates
• A Surgeon General