Department of Pathology Training Grants
The Department of Pathology has a robust set of NIH training grants to support its research training programs, including four T32 training grants based in the Department. The Immunology Training Program T32 (Dr. Brian Cobb, PI) supports pre-doctoral training for PhD students in the Immunology Training Program. The Cancer Biology Training Program T32 (Dr. Mark Jackson, PI), a collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, supports both predoctoral training for PhD students in the Cancer Biology Training Program T32 and postdoctoral training in cancer research. The T32 grant for Training in Neurodegenerative Diseases (Dr. Xiongwei Zhu, PI) supports predoctoral training for PhD students in the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Disease Training Program (and some collaborating programs) for students who are pursuing research in neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, each of the three constituent Pathology PhD Program Tracks has an associated NIH training grant. In addition, Training in Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases T32, based in the Center for Global Health and Diseases, supports postdoctoral fellows focusing on parasitic, bacterial, and viral infectious diseases.
Beyond these grants administered by the Department of Pathology, trainees may also be supported by numerous other training grants in the CWRU School of Medicine, including the Medical Scientist Training Program (Dr. Derek Abbott, Director and PI of the MSTP T32 grant) and the Clinical and Translational Scientist Training Program TL1 (Dr. Clifford Harding, Director and PI of the TL1 training grant).
For more information about each of these support mechanisms, please see the below.
Cancer Biology Training Grant
In partnership with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, the primary goal of the Cancer Biology Training Grant is to provide trainees with the fundamental skills necessary for outstanding careers in biomedical cancer research together with an appreciation of the challenges and complexity of cancer in the clinical setting. The training program emphasizes rigorous basic cancer research, enriched by educational forums that address the importance of clinical and translational cancer research. Both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees are supported by the Cancer Biology Training Grant, with trainees conducting their research under the guidance of approved program faculty.
Components
- Research Experience. Knowledge of a cancer cell’s behavior at the molecular and cellular level continues to expand, and a greater understanding of the pathways and molecular changes that occur in cancer cells is leading to advances in patient care. Research in the laboratories of faculty at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic focuses on fundamental cancer biology, often with immediate relevance to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Clinical Perspective. Beyond performing research, trainees receive Clinical Perspective training, which serves to prepare trainees to communicate and interact with clinicians to bridge the bench-to-bedside divide. Activities include coursework from the CWRU Clinical Research Scholars Program (CRSP), human subjects research training, exposure to clinical trial design with Hematology and Oncology clinical fellows, attendance at tumor boards, and shadowing of physician-scientists.
- Career development and professional enrichment. Career development in the field of cancer research involves defining career goals and building professional skills, in addition to research skills, in order to attain those goals. Trainees are provided individualized career development and professional enrichment activities to ensure that they are developing the proper skills necessary to achieve their career goals.
For more information about this Training Grant: https://case.edu/
Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases Training Grant, Center for Global Health and Diseases
The CWRU School of Medicine Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases post-doctoral NIH T32 training program began in 1976 and has been continuously funded since then. The purpose of our program is to i) teach the critical conceptual, technical and analytical skills needed for a successful and independent career in infectious disease research, ii) impart broad-based knowledge of host defense to infectious agents and the molecular mechanisms that underlie infection susceptibility and disease pathogenesis, particularly with respect to infectious diseases of great health significance in resource limited areas of the world, iii) promote training in areas that benefit from collaboration between clinical translational and basic scientists, iv) assist trainees in career development by providing guidance and mentoring in preparation of grant applications, research conceptualization and selection of the appropriate venues for funding