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Cancer Research Training
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Graduate students are eligible to have their research experience enriched by a number of NIH-sponsored training programs. If you have a special interest in one of these NIH training programs, please apply to one of the seven Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Graduate Groups and then visit our Research Foci Form to select the appropriate research foci. NIH funding for graduate education is awarded to the institution following a competitive peer review process specific to the research area.
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Overview Training Program The Predoctoral Cancer Training Program is oriented toward providing a strong cancer-related training environment that supplements the basic degree requirements and goals of the degree-granting departments within the University of Virginia. It is a Ph.D. program that typically requires four to six years of study. Independent research is at the core of the program. During the first two years, students complete formal course requirements and rotate through 2-3 different laboratories. Thesis labs and mentors are chosen after completion of the first year. Once students have selected thesis laboratories, they become members of the associated department. Departments participating in the Cancer Training Program each have their own criteria to assess student progress. In most cases, students prepare and defend a detailed research proposal during the second year. Successful completion of this process qualifies the student to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. First year students are strongly encouraged to arrive in July to begin their first research rotation. This allows the student to become acclimated to the department and program before classes begin in the fall. It also provides them sufficient time to become immersed in a research problem before the demands of course work begin. Designated faculty monitor the progress of the incoming class throughout their first year. Some programs assign a three-faculty advisory committee to each student. Students meet with their committees several times during the year to discuss course work, rotations, adjustment to graduate school, and any problems that arise. This gives students direct access to faculty members and helps the faculty learn about the student's interests and background. Coursework Students take a select group of core courses in the first semester designed to provide a solid foundation in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and gene regulation. An individualized course work program is then developed to meet the specific interests of the student and the course requirements of the department in which the student will be affiliated. Among these courses is a course entitled, “The Molecular Basis of Cancer,” which must be taken by all Cancer Training Program trainees. This course provides clinical as well as molecular lectures that address the development and characteristics of specific cancers. Students are given the opportunity to develop oral presentation skills throughout their tenure as graduate students by participating in colloquia, journal clubs, research group meetings, and mini-courses. They also attend various departmental and cancer research seminar series. Laboratory Research Students perform 2-3 rotations in laboratories of their choice during their first year in graduate school. These rotations provide an opportunity to become familiar with specific laboratory and research areas while performing small research projects. Students typically choose to begin their rotations during the summer prior to the beginning of courses so that they can become acquainted with research opportunities before classes begin. After completion of their rotations at the end of the first year of study, students then choose a research lab and thesis advisor. The research programs of faculty participants in the Cancer Training Program are nationally and internationally renowned. They are well-funded from both federal and private sources, providing student research activities with excellent financial and technological support. Laboratories are well-equipped with modern and sophisticated instrumentation to enable advanced experimentation in cancer research. Faculty The Cancer Training program is composed of a highly diverse group of faculty with primary appointments in the full spectrum of basic science and clinical departments at the University of Virginia. The faculty have proven track records of research productivity, collegiality, and training of predoctoral students. Their expertise spans the areas of viral oncology, tumor immunology, cancer cytology, membrane biochemistry, growth factors and signal transduction, gene regulation, nucleic acid and protein chemistry, enzymology, genetics, drug discovery, and developmental biology. Qualification Criteria Qualified pre-doctoral trainees are chosen from among students who have entered the University of Virginia graduate program in Biomedical Sciences (http://www.bims.virginia.edu/ ) through any of the seven graduate groups. Trainees are selected in a competitive process from a pool of eligible nominees drawn from the following groups: |
Awards are made on the basis of commitment to cancer-related research, evidence of promise as a productive scientist, and (when applicable) performance in the core curriculum and in research rotations. Admissions On-line applications are made through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and applications are available here: http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/gpo/apply.cfm. Students should indicate "Cancer" as one of their Research Foci. An email containing a hyperlink to the Research Foci Form will be automatically sent to the applicant after he/she has submitted an application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Stipend All students in the Cancer Training Program will receive a stipend that is competitive with that offered by other institutions. Tuition, fees, health insurance and travel costs to scientific meetings are also covered. Contact Information
Dr. Corinne Silva
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