PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Career Enhancement Program (CEP) of the SPORE in Bladder Cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) will prepare the most promising and motivated young clinician-scientists for independent careers as investigators in translational research in urothelial cancer. Eligible candidates will include junior faculty with a demonstrated interest in urothelial cancer research, advanced postdoctoral clinical fellows who exhibit outstanding research potential in urothelial cancer and are ready to transition to a faculty position within 1 year, and established investigators who wish to enhance or refocus their careers on translational research in urothelial cancer. We have designed the CEP to form both an interdepartmental and an inter-institutional training ground in which to nurture 2 talented new investigators each year—from either basic research or clinical backgrounds—committed to translating new scientific developments in urothelial cancer research into clinically relevant therapeutic strategies. By combining the research and academic resources available throughout MSK and at our affiliated institutions, CEP recipients will benefit from the intersection of a comprehensive educational program, career enrichment activities, and a rich research environment cultivated by the senior investigators in the SPORE in Bladder Cancer. The diverse research areas in our proposed SPORE in Bladder Cancer pursue research questions at every stage of the disease. Opportunities with SPORE investigators as mentors include disciplines such as oncology, surgery, pathology, immunology, molecular biology, cancer biology, tumor and germline genetics, experimental therapeutics, medical informatics, and outcomes research. The CEP and MSK are committed to recruiting women and individuals from racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in oncology.

PROJECT NARRATIVE Urothelial cancers include carcinomas of the bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis. As a public health concern, bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States. The SPORE Career Enhancement Program will play a key role in recruiting and training exceptional scientific talent for translational research projects in urothelial cancer.