VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Awarded $2.7 Million NIH K12 Grant to Train Next Generation of Community Oncology Researchers
核心洞察
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (搜索) received a $2.7 million Worta McCaskill-Stevens K12 grant from the National Institutes of Health spanning five years.
The grant will train six early-stage clinician scientists in designing and conducting cancer (搜索) prevention and control clinical trials, addressing a critical gap in formal clinical trial training.
Massey is one of only two NCI-designated comprehensive cancer (搜索) centers nationwide to secure this competitive career development award.
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (搜索) has been awarded a $2.7 million Worta McCaskill-Stevens K12 grant from the National Institutes of Health, a five-year funding mechanism designed to cultivate the next generation of community oncology researchers. Massey is one of only two National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer (搜索) centers in the country to receive this prestigious career development award.
The grant will support the recruitment and training of six K12 Scholars — promising, multidisciplinary, early-stage clinical investigators — who will focus on the conception, development, and implementation of innovative cancer (搜索) prevention and control studies. These studies are specifically designed to optimize participation by cancer survivors and individuals most at risk for cancer throughout Virginia.
"This grant will allow us to offer an opportunity for clinician scientists to learn, train and grow at Massey to continue to provide better cancer (搜索) outcomes for all Virginians," said Oxana Palesh, Ph.D., co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Massey and co-principal investigator on the grant.
Addressing a Critical Training Gap
The K12 funding opportunity targets a well-recognized deficiency in the oncology workforce: while clinical scientists bridge laboratory discoveries and patient care, many clinicians never receive formal training in the design and conduct of clinical trials. This grant is structured to close that gap by equipping clinician scientists — including oncologists, nurses, and psychologists — with the skills necessary to lead community-focused clinical research.
"Our team is developing a comprehensive curriculum to ensure that Massey clinicians are well poised to lead CPC-focused clinical trials that meet the needs of our catchment area," said co-principal investigator Jessica LaRose, Ph.D., Cancer (搜索) Prevention and Control research program member at Massey and professor and chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health.
Patrick Nana-Sinkam, M.D., the Linda Grandis Blatt Endowed Chair in Cancer (搜索) Research and associate vice president for clinical and translational research for VCU Health, also serves as co-principal investigator. "Developing the next generation of community oncology researchers is essential to improving cancer outcomes," Nana-Sinkam said. "This new training grant will equip early career faculty with the mentorship, skills and collaborative opportunities needed to drive innovation across such areas as prevention, early detection, implementation science and population health."
The Triad Mentoring Model
A distinguishing feature of Massey's program is its triad mentoring approach. Each K12 Scholar will be guided by three mentors: a cancer (搜索) prevention and control investigator, an experienced clinical trialist, and a community champion. This structure intentionally elevates the lived experiences and knowledge of community members within the training framework.
"I am very excited about our triad mentoring approach which elevates the lived experiences and knowledge of community members," LaRose said. "The triad model is intentionally aligned with contemporary approaches to mentoring and underscores the importance of a team with diverse training, skills and knowledge to support the career development of our K12 Scholars."
Program Structure and Scholar Support
Over the five-year grant period, each K12 Scholar will participate in a variety of courses and career development experiences during a two-year, grant-funded tenure. Scholars will receive dedicated time, effort, and resources to conduct cancer (搜索) prevention and control-related pilot research, write and implement an investigator-initiated intervention study, seek extramural funding to support future investigations, and submit manuscripts based on their research. Following the initial K12-funded period, scholars will receive an additional two years of salary support from Massey.
Massey secured the grant in part due to its strong cancer (搜索) prevention and control efforts and its robust community outreach and engagement programs. "In five years, our goal is to have more clinical scientists who are well-trained and able to perform community-focused clinical research, with a primary goal of helping patients," Palesh said. "We want to have clinical scientists who continue to move forward with clinical research and trials."