Cancer Population Sciences (CPS)

Project Summary/Abstract: Cancer Population Sciences The Cancer Population Sciences (CPS) Program brings together 40 faculty, representing 12 departments at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine (Geisel), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DH) and the White River Junction VT Veterans Administration Medical Center (VA), with research interests relevant to the three

central CPS Program themes: 1) Life course cancer epidemiology, 2) Translational population science, and 3) Health care delivery science. The shared goals of the CPS Program are to: 1) conduct population-based studies to understand the molecular, behavioral and environmental basis of cancer occurrence and outcomes

across the life course; 2) establish a scientific basis for policies and practices that improve cancer screening, quality of care delivery, and health outcomes across the cancer continuum, from prevention to survivorship; and 3) design and test interventions and promote policies that reduce cancer risk and cancer burden in our

catchment area, nationally and beyond. Peer-reviewed cancer-related research direct cost support currently totals $8.7M, with NCI funding representing 32% ($2.8M) and total direct costs summing to $9.6M. Sixteen (16) CPS Program Members currently have a total of 17 CCSG-defined R01-equivalent awards. Using the same

NCI definition of cancer-related direct costs in 2014, peer-reviewed cancer-related research direct costs are 78 % compared to 2014, but per Member funding is up 6% ($216,234 for 40 Members vs. 204,161 for 57 Members). Since 2015, the CPS Program has 994 cancer-related publications, 31% (311) intra-programmatic,

9% (93) inter-programmatic, and 75% (743) with investigators from other institutions. Based on 926 with impact data, 20% (181) were high impact journals (i.e., impact factor >8). Compared to 2014, intra-programmatic publications have increased, to 31% from 29%, and high impact has increased, to 20% from 16%. Prior to the

2018 Program reorganization, our two population science programs had inter-programmatic publication rates of 13% and 19%, which matched the range (13-19%) they reported in 2014. The CPS program leaders have defined program-level and theme-specific plans for future growth. These include enhanced, trans-disciplinary

mentorship of junior investigators by senior faculty in multiple disciplines; the development and support of subject workgroups (e.g. obesity, microbiome, breast cancer, tobacco regulatory and geospatial research) to build collaborations that cross the disciplines of population science and beyond; and continued growth of

training programs.