Cancer epidemiology is the study of the distribution and causes of cancer, a critical first step for primary cancer prevention. In the 1980s, molecular cancer epidemiology emerged as a new discipline, extending questionnaire-based epidemiology by incorporating biomarkers of carcinogenic processes. More recently, new high throughput technology platforms have further transformed the practice of epidemiology. Epidemiologists must now deal with an explosion of new data that require analysis with novel analytical and bioinformatic techniques. Epidemiologists are now challenged to integrate these advances into their research, and to effectively communicate and translate their findings to impact pu...

Read More

Cancer epidemiology is the study of the distribution and causes of cancer, a critical first step for primary cancer prevention. In the 1980s, molecular cancer epidemiology emerged as a new discipline, extending questionnaire-based epidemiology by incorporating biomarkers of carcinogenic processes. More recently, new high throughput technology platforms have further transformed the practice of epidemiology. Epidemiologists must now deal with an explosion of new data that require analysis with novel analytical and bioinformatic techniques. Epidemiologists are now challenged to integrate these advances into their research, and to effectively communicate and translate their findings to impact public health. Unfortunately, these concepts are not routinely incorporated into formal courses in medical schools and schools of public health. This deficit is now recognized nationally and is no less applicable to Texas. We therefore propose to create at Baylor College of Medicine, a postdoctoral training program that crosses traditional boundaries by recruiting and training highly motivated PhD epidemiologists or MDs/DVMs with master’s degree training in epidemiology to become successful cross-trained epidemiologists. We will emphasize the recruitment of minority candidates. Our institutional resources and experienced cadre of faculty mentors will provide the fellows with rich research and educational opportunities to accelerate their training. The traditional one-on-one mentoring model is no longer effective. Therefore our three-year training program will be broad and flexible, with individually tailored multidisciplinary teams of mentors (basic, clinical, and population scientists) and creation of personalized educational curricula. Fellows will learn the mechanics and culture of team science. Our long term goal is to provide the fellows with a focus on prevention, clinical or translational research in cancers of relevance to our catchment area, and to the entire state.

Read Less