Program in Cancer Training and Education (PICTE): Preparing the Next Generation of Scientists and Physicians

Continued advances in cancer research and treatment require in-depth training of future scientists in the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer. Toward this goal, the Program in Cancer Training & Education (PICTE) will enroll rising sophomores and juniors at the University of Pittsburgh in an intensive research and educational initiative. PICTE will select ten students to participate in a full-time research and professional development program for 10-weeks in the summer, followed by a part-time extension of this program in the Fall term, together totaling the equivalent of 15, 40-hour weeks. Our PICTE participants will perform hands-on research within the Department of Biological Sciences or Chemistry labs led by dedicated faculty mentors with outstanding track-records in training the next generation of scientists and research projects that investigate fundamental questions in cancer. Based on the University’s position as a top-tier R1 educational institution with a deep pool of talented undergraduates, those accepted into the program will be our very best students. Hands-on training in cutting-edge methods and experiments will be directed to test new hypotheses in cancer research, and rigorous research training will be complemented by journal clubs and small group discussions, rigor and reproducibility, lab safety, authorship, data management, scientific collaborations, and mentor-mentee relationships. Additional professional development activities will include discussions on career opportunities, scientific writing, poster preparation, and presentation skills. Based on proximity to an NCI-support designated cancer center, a centerpiece of PICTE will include weekly visits to the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Discussions with basic researchers and physician-scientists will provide PICTE participants with a deeper appreciation of bench-to-bedside research along with current challenges in cancer research, treatment, and care. Another program centerpiece will be attendance at a national undergraduate research conference near the end of the proposed program. Attendance at an open-registration meeting will not only provide PICTE students with opportunities to present their work and interact with research-active undergraduates and faculty from across the US, but also promote career advancement through networking and professional development sessions. At the conference, lectures from top-flight scientists will be complemented by manned information tables from a myriad of graduate and medical programs, thus helping trainees identify ideal post-graduate options. Together, PICTE will provide holistic training to ensure that future cancer researchers are not only equipped to make ground-breaking discoveries, but will guarantee they possess all essential skills to succeed in biomedical research. Project Number: 1R25CA291581-01A1 | Fiscal Year: 2025 | NIH Institute/Center: National Cancer Institute (NCI) | Principal Investigator: JEFFREY BRODSKY | Institution: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH, PITTSBURGH, PA | Award Amount: $169,982 | Activity Code: R25 | Study Section: Institutional Training and Education Study Section (F)[NCI-F] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11195873