Faculty Career Enhancement Programs
The Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) sponsor numerous programs to enhance career development for cancer researchers. These programs provide mentorship, support and specialized training in research methods to help junior faculty move to career independence. A couple of SCC- and OUHSC-sponsored programs have a specific focus on career development for faculty from populations underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral and populations research.
Stephenson Cancer Center Programs
SCC Early-Stage Investigator Mentorship
SCC is committed to supporting the careers of early-stage investigators
as they progress to independence in their respective fields of cancer
research. Senior members within SCC research programs routinely mentor
early-stage investigators in developing career pathways and grant applications.
Early-stage investigators regularly present their research in program
meetings and at the SCC’s Annual Cancer Research Symposium. Early-stage
investigators are mentored and supported to pursue career development
awards from the NIH (K awards), ACS, DOD, and other national sponsors.
They have prioritized no-cost access to SCC Shared Resources and other
services, including scientific / technical writing and grant submission
support, to facilitate their projects. Early-stage investigators are encouraged
to speak with their program leaders to find out more information.
NIGMS P20: Mentoring Translational Cancer Research in Oklahoma
The goal of this NIH-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)
is to enhance cancer research and infrastructure in Oklahoma. To accomplish
this goal, the program supports four Promising Junior Investigators (PJIs),
each of whom are paired with a mentoring team of NIH-funded scientists.
The PJIs work on an independent research project, funded by the
COBRE grant, with the goal of submitting an NIH or other national peer-reviewed
grant at the end of their terms.
American Cancer Society – Institutional Research Grant (ACS-IRG)
The American Cancer Society offers Institutional Research Grants as block
grants, providing seed funding for newly independent investigators to
initiate cancer research projects. The intent is to support these junior
faculty researchers in obtaining preliminary results that will enable
them to compete successfully for national research grants. The Stephenson
Cancer Center was awarded an ACS-IRG grant in 2020.
Annual Cancer Research Symposium
Stephenson Cancer Center hosts an annual Cancer Research Symposium that
provides an interactive forum for cancer center members, other interested
researchers, and students from a variety of disciplines to share their
research. Faculty and students have the opportunity to submit proposals
for oral and poster presentations. This one-day event now features more
than 250 faculty and students attendees and provides excellent opportunities
for networking and initiating collaborations.
OU Health Sciences Programs
Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources (OSCTR)
The OSCTR is an NIH-funded infrastructure and faculty development program
designed to: 1) serve as a catalyst to facilitate clinical and translational
research; 2) improve health for underserved and underrepresented populations
living in rural areas; 3) provide clinical and translational research
training and infrastructure to junior investigators; 4) expand opportunities
for IDeA states and communities to participate in clinical and translational
research; and 5) improve the overall health of Oklahoma’s citizens.
The OSCTR supports numerous programs designed to facilitate student and
faculty career development (see below).
Masters in Clinical and Translational Science (MS-CTS)
The goal of the MS-CTS program is to prepare health professionals to become
competent in the methodological foundations and conduct of clinical and
translational research, including qualitative and quantitative research
methods, clinical and translational research process and design, informatics,
effective oral and written communication, human research ethics and responsible
conduct of research, cultural competency, research management, and professionalism
and career development.
Translating Practice into Research (TPIR) Trainee Program
A part of the OSCTR, the TPIR trainee program is a unique one-year (September
- August) education and mentoring program for practicing healthcare professionals,
clinical investigators, and basic scientists offering a broad and practical
curriculum for understanding clinical research methods, research collaborations,
and statistical analysis. The goal is to produce clinicians and scientists
who have the ability to translate their clinical observations and ideas
for improving practice into practical and feasible research projects.
The TPIR program consists of four components: 1) two 1-day, in-person
workshops; 2) 10 online education modules; 3) scheduled conference calls
with TPIR faculty; and 4) a mentored research project.
NIMDH R25: Addressing Health Disparities among Oklahoma Minority Rural
Communities through Clinical Research Education and Career Development
The overall goal of this program is to facilitate the education of participants
from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research to pursue
clinical research, translational and/or patient-oriented research, or
population health research particularly on diseases that disproportionately
impact minority, rural, and health disparity populations. Initial training
includes: didactic program courses for skill development in clinical and
population health research; completing a thesis research project focused
on health issues in underserved populations; earning a MS degree in Clinical
and Translational Science; funding provided for up to two years. Phase
II training involves a mentored research experience and funding provided
for up to three years.
NIGMS P20: Oklahoma – IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence
(OK-INBRE)
Research Project Investigator Awards
The NIH-funded IDeA Program broadens the geographic distribution of NIH
funding for competitive biomedical and behavioral research by enhancing
the research capabilities of institutions in eligible states. The OK-INBRE’s
Research Project Investigator (RPI) awards seek to enhance biomedical
research at institutions in the OK-INBRE network. Proposed projects must
align with one of the research themes of the OK-INBRE program: Cancer,
Developmental Biology, or Infectious Diseases. Full-time, tenure-track
faculty at OUHSC or the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) are
eligible. Awards are anticipated to be funded at up to $100,000 per year
in direct costs for a 2.5 year project period.
OUHSC Faculty Leadership Program (FLP)
The scope and complexity of faculty roles at a contemporary Academic Health
Center are demanding. The FLP affords faculty a structured approach to
acquire and apply new skills and to refine existing ones through a longitudinal
series of highly interactive small group seminars led by faculty and administrators.
Participating faculty acquire and practice the skills to balance their
roles, attend to personal and professional responsibilities, and make
good career decisions in order to engage as strong team members and take
on leadership opportunities.
Contact Information
Education, Training and Career Enhancement Core
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center
E:
SCCCRTEC@ouhsc.edu
