Career Enhancement Program

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT of the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) Our Translational Research Program in Colorectal Cancer Disparities' (TRPCD) Career Enhancement Program is an essential component of our SPORE. Its primary purpose is to attract and support new scientists from

different disciplines (clinical, basic science, and population science) to the field of translational cancer disparities research. This will be accomplished through achieving the following specific aims: 1. Research support: Foster collaborations that engage junior, mid-level, and senior investigators who wish

to enhance or refocus their careers on translational cancer disparities research by providing research funding and complementary scientific expertise to pursue novel disparities research projects. 2. Mentorship and Sponsorship: Using a structured approach, provide all investigators engaged in the CEP

with appropriate mentors to help advance their pursuit of translational cancer disparities research. Additionally, we will identify individuals within each investigator's institution who can serve as sponsors and provide guidance and opportunities to help enhance their careers. 3. Leadership development: A critical national need is efforts to diversify the leadership of the nation's NCI-

designated cancer centers. We will provide leadership development opportunities for CEP participants with a particular emphasis on women, underrepresented minorities (such as those prioritized in our TRPCD research, Alaska Native, African American, and Hispanic people), and individuals with disabilities.

4. Recruitment and Retention: Through engaging in processes for new investigator/faculty recruitment and leveraging strategies for investigator retention in each of our participating institutions, we will support the recruitment of new investigators focused on translational cancer disparities research and facilitate retention

of investigators conducting this type of research. The CEP will be coordinated between FHCC, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Ochsner Health. Recruitment of candidates will be conducted across all sites, and tailored career enhancement programs will be developed to meet the needs of each awardee. Cornerstones of our program

include identifying and providing multi-disciplinary mentors, assigning sponsors, and providing opportunities for leadership development as appropriate. Consistent with our SPORE's overarching values, the CEP will actively seek to support scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. The number of scientists we can support has

been further enhanced through designated institutional funds from FHCC to double the funding level of our CEP.