Paul Calabresi Training Program in Clinical-Translational Research

Program Director: Lynn Hartmann, M.D.
Program Coordinator: Betty Anderson, R.N.
Awarded 2001, renewed 2006

In the post-genome era, cancer research is undergoing a dramatic and rapid metamorphosis. There is a vital need for highly-skilled researchers to translate new discoveries in cancer biology and genetics into clinical practice. To help fill this need, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center holds one of the prestigious National Cancer Institute Paul Calabresi Awards for Clinical Oncology.

The Paul Calabresi Training Program in Clinical-Translational Research is designed to train investigators to conduct hypothesis-based research in a team research setting where basic, population and clinical scientists work together to expedite the translation of basic research discoveries into clinically-relevant interventions. The intent of the program is to prepare outstanding clinician and basic science investigators to build independently-funded patient-oriented research careers, and to be able to collaborate with each other in the conduct of that research.

Program awardees conduct multidisciplinary clinical-translational research, participating in a didactic mentored program that can extend over a 2 to 4 year funding period. Scholars hold M.D., D.O. or Ph.D. degrees, and have completed their clinical or research oncology-specific training necessary to become independent cancer researchers. Specific training experiences are developed for each research scholar, consistent with his or her background and interests.

Individuals with proven success as educators and mentors are selected to be mentors for scholars in the Paul Calabresi Program. They are nationally and/or internationally recognized for contributions to clinical research, clinical trials management and/or translational research. Additionally, they all have significant research funding through the National Institutes of Health or other equivalent sources.

Upon completion of the program, scholars should have a solid understanding of quality clinical-translational research and be able to design and manage all phases of clinical trials. Additionally, they will be knowledgeable in ways to collaborate with basic population and behavioral scientists to translate discoveries into better medical care.

Thus far, Paul Calabresi scholars at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center have pursued research training largely within the six of twelve Cancer Center Programs that focus on clinical-translational research:

• Developmental Therapeutics
• Gastrointestinal Cancer
• Hematologic Malignancies
• Neuro-oncology
• Prostate Cancer
• Women’s Cancer

Read about individual scholar projects