Investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to launch the UCLA Surgeon-Scientist Basic Cancer Research Training Program. The initiative is designed to help the next generation of surgeon-scientists bridge the gap between the operating room and the research lab, accelerating innovations that improve treatments and outcomes for people with cancer.
Led by Dr. Timothy Donahue, chief of surgical oncology, medical director of cancer services and the Garry Shandling professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and Dr. Manuel Penichet, professor of surgery, the program will provide surgical residents with two years of intensive, hands-on training in laboratory research, structured coursework and technology development, while teaching them how to translate scientific discoveries into improved cancer care.
The program, the first of its kind in Los Angeles, brings together six UCLA surgical departments — surgery, head and neck surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and urology — to provide surgical residents close mentorship from faculty across clinical and basic science disciplines. Trainees will gain the skills and experience needed to become leaders on NIH-funded, transdisciplinary teams focused on advancing cancer care.
“There are fewer surgeon-scientists doing basic and translational research today even though they play a key role in turning scientific discoveries into better cancer treatments,” said Donahue. “This program leverages UCLA’s advanced facilities, research infrastructure and expert faculty to provide a personalized, structured training experience for our trainees.”
The Surgeon-Scientist Basic Cancer Research Training Program is the newest addition to the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s robust training portfolio. Along with 10 other NIH T32 training grants, it offers a wide range of opportunities to develop the next generation of cancer researchers.
