Project Summary/Abstract The goal of the UCSF Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology is to foster the development of the next generation of clinical scientists to be effective partners with discovery scientists and conduct high impact and innovative patient-centered cancer research. The Program will be housed in the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC), bringing to bear the exceptional research, clinical, and training environment of one of the world’s leading health sciences institutes. This multidisciplinary training program will leverage strengths in basic cancer research, experimental therapeutics, and clinical research methodology. Two experienced physician-scientists (one clinical researcher and one laboratory-based scientist) will direct the Program. An accomplished group of faculty will bring expertise in cancer-related clinical and translational research, imaging, patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers, healthcare disparities, community engagement, and biostatistics. Building on recent research and technology advancements and key areas for training identified in our HDFCCC strategic review, the two-year Program (which incorporates mentored research, career development guidance, and a core curriculum) is designed to facilitate completion of the year-long Advanced Training in Clinic Research certificate program in Year 1 (epidemiologic and biostatistical methods). Year 2 will focus on mentored research, professional skills, and achieving independence. An Advisory Committee (15 UCSF faculty, 6 external advisors) will work with the program directors to select up to four K12 Scholars, monitor Scholar progress, and identify opportunities for program improvement. Eligible candidates (within five years of training) will be selected from a diverse pool of UCSF faculty and well-established postdoctoral training programs in medical oncology, pediatric malignancies, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology. Each Scholar will work with at least one clinically focused and one laboratory-based mentor on their career development committee to design an individual career development plan outlining goals and tailored didactic and hands-on training experiences (including short clinical and laboratory rotations, grant-writing workshops, etc.) that will ensure competency across four core areas: (1) Clinical research methods; (2) Principles of translational cancer research and drug development; (3) Academic success skills and (4) Responsible conduct of research. New K12 program activities, including a 5-day bootcamp (Clinically Driven Discovery Science in Cancer: From the Bench to the Bedside), a seminar series (From Concept to Completion: Strategies for Successful Cancer Clinical Trials), and embedded patient-oriented cancer research experiences (e.g. scientific protocol review, presenting to the Community Advisory Board) will benefit Scholars who are directly supported by K12 funding and other UCSF faculty and trainees with an interest in clinical-translational cancer research. Upon graduation, scholars will have the tools to lead independent, rigorous, and impactful patient-centered clinical research programs.

Project Narrative This K12 Program trains scholars who are cancer-focused clinicians to effectively partner with laboratory scientists. Scholars will learn to communicate their research to diverse audiences and build successful research teams that leverage expertise in different areas. Scholars will be taught how to conduct innovative and impactful research that integrates the patient perspective and the latest scientific advances, with the overall goal of improving the care of individuals with cancer.