PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: This proposal represents a continuation of a training program at UC San Diego in the Contemporary approaches in cancer cell signaling and communication, requesting funding for Years 34-38. All faculty mentors are members of the Moores UCSD Cancer Center, with appointments in Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Biological Sciences, or the School of Medicine. Our program also incorporates faculty from the Salk Institute. Training faculty include 5 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 3 Fellows of the AACR, and 1 Lasker recipient. Faculty mentors are organized into three broad research areas: 1) Biochemistry of tumor cell signaling; 2) Cell plasticity and tumor microenvironment; 3) Engineering approaches to cell signaling and communication. Training involves a monthly Training Grant Seminar with two presentations by trainees, formal courses, journal clubs, trainee/faculty luncheons, and events to promote program cohesion. A Supervisory Committee provides strong program oversight in trainee selection, evaluation, and programmatic decisions, continuing unchanged from the past 5 years. With this submission, program leadership envisions continued vibrancy for our program with the inclusion as the lead PD/PI for Years 34-38 of Prof. Jing Yang, a mid-career expert in tumor metastasis, who will strengthen our leadership team with her commitment to training and mentoring in cancer biology. Overall, this program remains highly dynamic, synergistic, and interdisciplinary. TRAINEES: Current and past trainees have excellent records of research accomplishments. We have requested 6 postdoctoral positions and 4 predoctoral positions for Years 34-38, unchanged from present. The requested slots continue to be justified by ongoing growth at UC San Diego, by the ability of the training faculty to recruit outstanding trainees to their labs, and by the interactive nature of the training labs that collectively provide a superb training environment. Predoctoral trainees are drawn from graduate students accepted into Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or Biological Sciences, and are appointed typically for 2 years. Postdoctoral trainees are selected from postdoctoral candidates applying for positions in the laboratories of the training faculty, and appointed for a maximum of 2 years. Trainees accepted into our program are expected to have strong backgrounds in chemistry, biochemistry, bioengineering, and molecular and cell biology. All trainees are expected to publish first-author publications and encouraged to apply for independent fellowships. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS AND CHANGES: This renewal highlights several changes, including: eight exciting new faculty additions, strengthened interactions with the Moores UCSD Cancer Center; greater faculty/trainee interactions to promote program cohesion; strong support from five members of our External Advisory Board; compelling letters of support from members of our supervisory committee; and strong endorsements and commitments of support from key administrative leaders.

PROJECT NARRATIVE This application seeks to continue a long-term training program in the Contemporary Approaches to Cancer Cell Signaling and Communication focused on cancer research at the University of California, San Diego, building on an outstanding history of mentoring young scientists to become future leaders in academia and biotech. The faculty includes thirty-two distinguished mentors spanning many areas of biological chemistry, chemical engineering, bioengineering, computational biology, and molecular oncology, who are committed to state-of-the-art laboratory research and training. The overarching mission of this program is to provide training to outstanding pre-doctoral PhD students and post-doctoral scientists in a highly interactive scientific environment in order to prepare them for future high-impact careers in cancer research.