SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The purpose of our proposed Tisch Cancer Institute (TCI) Paul Calabresi K12 Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology (K12) is to catalyze the clinical and translational research career development of inspired clinical oncologists from diverse oncology specialties and backgrounds, to become future innovative, scientifically grounded and impactful leaders in clinical cancer research and interventional trials. The intent of our K12 is to advance the careers of the next generation of independently funded interdisciplinary Scholars, armed with the methodologic and analytical acumen, scientific knowledge, teaming capacity and career skills required to successfully address specific unmet needs in cancer treatment, which significantly impact our catchment relevant population. Our strongly mentored career development 3 year program for early stage (junior faculty) investigators, will capitalize upon the Tisch Cancer Institute's expertise in cancer immunotherapeutics, novel correlates of immunotherapeutic response, integrative multi- omic platforms to inform drug repositioning approaches; outstanding cadre of Clinical and Translational Mentors; diverse pool of compelling Scholars, and an academically rigorous training environment that prepares the most compelling MD, or MD/PhD junior faculty in clinical oncology for careers in patient oriented research. Our curricular and mentored research activities will additionally leverage institutional strengths in Data Science, Drug Discovery and Precision Medicine: clinical trial methodology; innovative clinical and translational research education and pedagogy, including opportunities to earn a Master's of Science or PhD in Clinical Research, offered through the Clinical Research Education Program in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and CTSA Center for Patient Oriented Research Training, Education and Development (CePORTED); and align with the NIH UNITE and our institutional anti-racist agenda and commitment to recruit and retain talented underrepresented individuals in medicine and science (URiMS). To accomplish our goals, we will pursue the following specific aims: Aim 1: Champion a structured, educational, scholar specific development program to prepare clinical oncologists to conduct cutting edge, hypothesis -driven and practice changing research in cancer therapeutics; Aim 2: Provide Co-Mentored (Basic and Clinical science faculty) and community informed clinical trial research opportunities in therapeutic innovation; Aim 3: Build a patient oriented cancer research learning culture to advance therapeutic innovation by delivering cutting edge multidisciplinary career development opportunities to advance team science, leadership, cross-disciplinary communication, resilience, and entrepreneurship; Aim 4: Advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as core tenets of socially responsible clinical investigators; and Aim 5: Implement a comprehensive, rigorous and quality improvement approach, to program, trainee and mentor evaluation, utilizing novel tools, to track milestones as well as outcome metrics of success.

The overarching goal of the proposed Paul Calabresi Award in Clinical Oncology (PCACO) K12 is to nurture and inspire the clinical and translational patient oriented research career development of future clinically impactful transdisciplinary investigators pursuing therapeutic and biomarker innovation. Ultimately, the intent of the PCACO K12 is to launch and advance the careers of the next generation of independently funded clinical and translational researchers, armed with the methodological skills, analytical acumen, & scientific knowledge required to successfully address meaningful unmet needs in the treatment and/or prevention of cancer, which in turn will significantly impact the health and well-being of the community which we serve and society at large.