Special Donor-Funded Postdoctoral Fellowships

Open to U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents and Foreign Nationals Holding Visas

Announcements and Instructions 

The Cancer Prevention Research Training Program at the UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center prepares scientists and clinicians to achieve leadership roles as research investigators in the field of cancer prevention and control. The Program is designed to expand the perspective of the trainees by moving them from their base of strength in a particular specialty and to equip them with additional knowledge of the other cancer prevention and control disciplines. This cross-disciplinary training is accomplished by attending seminars and by participating in ongoing peer-reviewed, mentored research. Fellows are expected to present their research at scientific meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Fellows will also participate in professional development seminars, such as time management and grant writing. Trainees are immersed in the type of cross-disciplinary research environment typical of cancer prevention and control research, with the objective of launching the trainee in the scientific research role of principal investigator relatively early in his or her career.

Program duration: Postdoctoral fellowships are funded for two years, renewed annually pending research progress and availability of funds.

Eligibility: This fellowship is available without regard to the applicant’s U.S. citizenship status. Foreign nationals must be in the U.S. legally and have valid and appropriate visas. Applicants may be from backgrounds in the basic biomedical sciences, medicine, biomedical statistics, epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, nursing and related public health disciplines.

Fellowship support: Postdoctoral stipends start at $48,000 per year and may be higher depending on completed years of relevant postdoctoral experience. Fringe benefits include health insurance, paid institutional holidays and annual and sick leave. Support is also provided for tuition, reference books, meeting registration and travel support and limited research costs.

Faculty mentors: You must have a minimum of two mentors with complementary expertise in different disciplines. At least one of the two mentors must have a faculty appointment at the assistant professor level or higher within the Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences at M. D. Anderson, which includes the Departments of Behavioral Science, Clinical Cancer Prevention, Epidemiology and Health Disparities Research. You may identify potential mentors from the Internet-based M. D. Anderson Research Report and may contact them directly concerning the possibility of mentorship. Other qualified mentors can have appointments in other M. D. Anderson departments or in institutions elsewhere.

Application process: To start the application process, first discuss your intentions with your sponsoring mentor. If you decide to proceed with your application, please call or e-mail Dee Tello, academic coordinator, 713-745-2495, dtello@mdanderson.org, and notify her of your intention to apply. Ms. Tello will create an application account for you in the Discover online system. You will receive an e-mail notifying you that the account has been activated and that you should begin submitting your materials. Trainee and Alumni Affairs requires you to provide a “Statement of Intent” to initiate the application process; you will see instructions on the Discover system.

All application materials must be submitted through the applicant’s Discover online system account. Original documents must be scanned and uploaded. Please save hard copies of original documents since they will be requested if you are awarded the fellowship.

The application process consists of two parts: Phase I, in which a qualifying pre-application is submitted, and Phase II, in which pre-qualified applicants are invited to submit a full fellowship application. Both Phase I and II are completed by uploading documents into Discover online accounts created by our staff for each applicant. For the Phase I pre-application, prospective candidates must develop and submit, in consultation with the proposed research mentors, a pre-application that includes an abstract of the applicant’s proposed research plans with appropriate documentation of the parent project if applicable and other supporting academic documents and letters, as well as other documents needed to process the pre-application. For the Phase II full application phase, candidates must develop and submit with their proposed research mentors a package that includes a proposed tailored educational plan listing coursework needed to achieve the candidate’s goals, a research project description that outlines the project’s relevance to cancer prevention, a timeline with milestones for achievement and a description of the applicant's career objectives in cancer prevention and control. In addition to updated letters from the sponsoring mentors, additional letters of reference and other supporting documents are required for the application.

Deadlines and submission: See Important Application Dates for application deadlines and updates. The entire application process takes approximately five months.

All documents with signatures and official documents such as transcripts or diplomas must be scanned into pdf format and uploaded into the Discover system.

For information contact Dee Tello, academic coordinator, 713-745-2495, dtello@mdanderson.org; Shine Chang, Ph.D., director, Cancer Prevention Education Program, 713-563-3573, ShineChang@mdanderson.org, or Carrie Cameron, Ph.D., associate director, 713-794-1476, ccameron@mdanderson.org. Our office is located in the Cancer Prevention Building on the 7th floor, CPB 7.3550, 1155 Pressler St. - Unit 1365, Houston, Texas 77030.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Materials

Phase I: Pre-Application

1. Abstract of Proposed Research: The abstract should include:
   
   a) The title of the proposed research project
   b) An abstract of the proposed research project that includes a description of your role in the project
   c) Names of the two faculty mentors, their positions and affiliations
   d) A paragraph explaining how your proposal and the parent project differ (If the proposed project does not build from an existing project, this step may be omitted.) Successful pre-applications will clearly demonstrate how the proposed project differs from the parent project. For example, will your proposed project involve different methods? A different organ site? A different pathway? On the other hand, what areas of overlap do your project and the parent project share? Research projects proposed for the fellowship should be independent of those proposed previously either in the parent project or by the PI mentors. Please discuss this carefully with your mentors.
   e) An explanation of how the project has already accrued or will accrue data at a pace sufficient to complete your proposed research. Describe how all of the proposed activities will be accomplished within the funding time frame. (i.e., two years for postdoctoral fellows).
   f) Explanation of how your role will change with the award of the traineeship, if you propose to remain in the same setting with the same mentor at M. D. Anderson but will transition into a trainee role from a staff role. Describe how the mentor will provide assurance for 100% protected time for you to conduct the proposed research and complete your proposed educational plan.
   g) Describe whether budget concerns exist for the project and how these will be addressed. For example, how would you handle an unexpected shortfall in funding?
   h) A description of your interests, career goals and objectives in cancer prevention research. Successful pre-applications will include a clear statement of how the proposed project is a necessary building block in their career development. For example, describe how your proposed training in statistics or behavioral science or molecular genetics fills a “gap” that is important in your future plans.
   
   
2. Parent Project Documents: If the proposed research project builds from an existing project, you must provide the face pages, abstract, and specific aims of the existing parent project. The aims you propose should clearly differ from those described for the parent project. If the proposed project does not build from an existing project, this step may be omitted. If there is any doubt about this requirement, please discuss with your sponsoring mentor or call our office.
   
   Other required documents (please scan and upload as PDFs into the Discover system):
   
   
3. Letter of support from each mentor, signed and on letterhead
   
   
4. Mentors’ Profile Form, listing each mentor on the proposal and the names and contact information of their administrative staff. This form is sent as an attachment to the e-mail inviting you to create your Discover account.
   
   
5. Copies of your mentors’ NIH Biosketch and Other Support (for all mentors listed)
   
   
6. Suggested Reviewers and Keywords: Provide (1) the names of five potential reviewers and their affiliations, including contact information and (2) five keywords that best describe your research proposal. Use the attached Keywords and Suggested Reviewers Form.
   
   Requirements for suggested reviewers:
   
   • Reviewers must be located at institutions on continental North America
   • Reviewers must be at the level of Associate Professor or above
   • Reviewers cannot be NCI or other federal government employees
   • Reviewers cannot have conflicts of interest with or have their appointments at the home institutions of the applicant, the sponsoring mentors, or their collaborators
   • Reviewers who are experienced in cancer prevention in at least two topic areas, mentoring and/or training program experience and NIH review experience are highly preferred but not required
   
   
7. A letter from your dissertation chair, if applicable, assuring that you will complete your dissertation within the next six months, signed and on letterhead (only for applicants who have not yet completed their doctoral degrees)
   
   
8. A copy of your CV
   
   
9. GRE scores (or MCAT scores, if applicable)
   
   
10. All academic transcripts, beginning with undergraduate and continuing through present status (copies are acceptable for pre-application phase)
    
    
11. CPRTP Fellowship Requirements Memo, signed by you and your mentor. The form for this memo was sent to you as an attachment to the e-mail inviting you to create a Discover account.
    
    
12. Phase I Checklist: A file containing a checklist will be attached to the e-mail inviting you to activate your Discover account. You should review and sign the completed checklist before uploading it into the Discover account. Once all documents are uploaded, please notify our office (dtello@mdanderson.org or mcpilar@mdanderson.org) by e-mail that Phase I has been completed. Once we receive this e-mail, we will verify the completion of your application and advance the pre-application for review.

Phase II: Full Application

Full Application: The application requires a proposal, not to exceed 10 pages (excluding appendices and citations, if any), that describes a research project or proposed program of research that can be in any discipline related to cancer prevention. Note: Applicants submitting a revised application should include a “Response to Previous Review,” not to exceed an additional three pages. The full application should use the format described below.

Format: Put your name and degree in the top right corner and page numbers in the bottom center. Use 12-point font and no less than one- inch margins.

1. Response to Previous Review, if applicable. Discuss what revisions you will make to the proposal and project in response to reviewer comments on the summary statement of the previous application. If you have not previously applied to the program, omit this step.
   
   
2. The Research Project Proposal. Your research project should focus on a topic within the field of cancer prevention. The title page should include:
   
   a) Your name and degree
   b) Your current institution
   c) Your area of specialization
   d) A brief descriptive title for the proposed project
   e) The names, departments and affiliations of the proposed mentors with their roles described
   
   The body of the proposal must describe (1) your role in the project, (2) the research aims that you will address relevant to cancer prevention, (3) the methods used and (4) expected outcomes, such as abstracts, presentations and publications. The aims should be original and relate clearly to your career objectives. If the proposal builds from an ongoing parent research project, please include the face pages, abstract, and specific aims of the ongoing project. Assuming responsibility for an existing research project aim is not acceptable for a fellowship proposal; your proposal must identify new aims for research. If documents for the parent project were not already provided (i.e., face page, abstract, specific aims), please include them with the full application.
   
   The proposal should also include a statement of Educational Objectives (5) and a Career Development Plan (6). 
   
   Educational Objectives: As the program is designed to help trainees develop cross-disciplinary knowledge and skill in cancer prevention and control, you must describe a tailored curriculum that accomplishes that goal and helps you develop the skills described within the “Career Development Plan.” In addition to semester-long courses, such a plan can include short-courses or workshops, if they adequately cover essential content matter. If appointed, trainees must register for core courses not already on their transcripts. You should list the courses you will take if appointed. See attached list of courses. All trainees must enroll in the GSBS courses, Topics in Cancer Prevention I and II (GS210621, GS210622) and Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Sciences (GS210051). A timeline of educational and research milestones should be included. 
   
   Career Development Plan: You should describe specific new skills you expect to learn as a result of the fellowship and how they will contribute to your career development in cancer prevention. You should also describe career plans after this postdoctoral fellowship. The potential publications produced during the fellowship from the proposed project and other sources, such as your dissertation, should be listed. The plan must include the preparation of an application for a career development award from the NCI, ACS or other funding source. Any background or special skills (7): You are invited to describe any background or special skills that are especially suited to carry out the proposed career development plan and scientific project. All mentors must review, approve, and endorse the proposal by signing the last page. Unsigned applications will not be accepted.
   
   Other required documents:
   
   
3. Updated support letters from the sponsoring mentors, signed and on letterhead. We recommend updated letters that describe how the mentors have helped the applicant respond to suggestions from the Phase I review
   
   
4. Updated mentors’ NIH Biosketch and Other Support. Each mentor’s documents must be submitted separately online. Scan, save as PDF and upload to Discover.
   
   
5. Letters of recommendation (3): Three letters, signed and on letterhead, not including those provided by the mentors, are required for appointment by Training and Alumni Affairs for all postdoctoral fellowship applicants. Recommendations from a professor who has taught or supervised the applicant for at least one year are ideal. All letters should be addressed to Dr. Shine Chang, Ph.D., director, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Cancer Prevention Research Training Program.
   
   
6. Updated CV
   
   
7. Official academic transcripts from undergraduate through current status with credential evaluation (a Trainee and Alumni Affairs requirement)
   
   
8. Proof of Highest Degree with credential evaluation (a Trainee and Alumni Affairs requirement)
   
   
9. Other comments: In this section, you may add any information that will aid in the review of your application. Upload into Discover under ‘Miscellaneous.’
   
   
10. Phase II Full Application Checklist: Review and sign the completed checklist before uploading it into the Discover account. Once all documents are uploaded, please notify our office (mcpilar@mdanderson.org or dtello@mdanderson.org) by e-mail that Phase II has been completed. Once we receive this e-mail, we will verify the completion of your application and advance the full application for review.

Review Process for Postdoctoral Fellowships in Cancer Prevention

The Advisory Committee oversees the administration of the UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Prevention Research Training Program. This committee consists of faculty members from both the basic science and clinical areas, including all four department chairs within the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences and the Division’s vice president. All of these faculty members are engaged in a wide variety of peer-reviewed, externally funded, cancer prevention research.

The Advisory Committee conducts the Phase I review of applicants, by examining the letters of intent and evaluating the description of the research proposal for relevance to cancer prevention. Occasionally, the Committee recommends additional appropriate research mentors, and provides helpful suggestions to applicants to include in their full applications for external review.

Questions used by the Advisory Committee

1. Has the pre-application justified the relevance of the proposed project to cancer prevention?
2. Is the applicant at an appropriate stage for application?
3. For postdoctoral applicants, would this be the last fellowship?
4. Are the mentors appropriate? Are additional mentors needed?
5. In the letters of support from the mentors or advisors, is there sufficient evidence of active involvement in the development of the letter of intent and the research proposed?
6. Is the proposed research based on an existing parent project? If yes, then…
   
   a. Are the aims proposed by the applicant clearly different from those of the parent project?
   b. Is the schedule or pace of the parent project appropriate (e.g., accrual progress) such that the applicant’s proposed research is feasible within the funding time frame? (i.e., two years for postdoctoral fellows)
   c. If the applicant proposes to remain in the same setting here at M. D. Anderson with the same mentor, is it clear that the applicant’s role will change with the award of the traineeship? Does the mentor provide assurance for 100% protected time for trainee’s proposed research?
   
   
7. Are there budgeting concerns for the project?

The review criteria for candidates and their proposals are described below. The criteria are based on the merit of each candidate’s proposed educational objectives, research projects and assessed potential for leadership in cancer prevention and control research. Following the application deadline we select an External Review Group that includes scientists with expertise in the area of the applications. The review procedures are similar to an NIH review group, with review assignments, written critiques, discussion and scoring.

Each member of the External Review Committee is assigned as a primary or secondary reviewer for one or more applications. Reviewers produce written critiques of the applications using the same criteria used by the Advisory Committee (below). All reviewers are asked to rate each applicant on these criteria and to provide an overall score or a range. The External Review Committee conducts their discussion via conference call facilitated by Dr. Chang. Prior to the conference call, written critiques will have been distributed by e-mail to each reviewer. The procedure for the conference call is similar to that of an NCI study section. After discussing each applicant, the reviewers score the applicants on the criteria shown and produce an overall score from 1.00 (best) - 5.00 (worst).

Applicant Review Criteria

1. Relevance: Is the educational experience and proposed research clearly in the realm of cancer prevention?
2. Promise and educational benefit to the applicant’s career development: Will the traineeship accelerate the applicant's career development toward becoming an independent cancer prevention investigator? Do the letters of recommendation indicate knowledge of the applicant's capabilities? Does the applicant have the intellectual capabilities and work ethic to benefit from the traineeship and to eventually become an independent cancer prevention investigator? Will the traineeship offer educational experiences that will not otherwise be available?
3. Scientific quality: Is the proposed research of high quality? Are the aims and hypotheses of the research clear and worthwhile? Is the mentor's research environment well regarded?
4. Resources and support: Are the applicants’ timeline and resources realistic and adequate? Will space and equipment be provided by the primary or other mentor? Do the faculty mentors indicate a time commitment to supervise the trainee? Do the mentors indicate how they will work together in the mentoring process? Will the applicant have guaranteed access to existing data, patients, tissue samples, etc.?

Training Program Course Selection

To achieve knowledge of a variety of areas within the field of cancer prevention and control, each applicant must develop a tailored educational curriculum that incorporates both the core content areas (see below) and the specific skills and knowledge needed for the individual’s training experience.

The following courses are either required (marked with ‘>’; total 11 hours) or recommended (selected):

1. Cross-disciplinary seminars
   
   >GS210621 Topics in Cancer Prevention I. Robert Chamberlain, Shine Chang, 1 hour
   >GS210622 Topics in Cancer Prevention II. Robert Chamberlain, Shine Chang, 1 hour
   
   New - Spring 2010
   GS210021    Bio-behavioral Research Methods in Cancer Prevention and Addiction
   R. Chamberlain, S.Chang, C. Cameron, 1 hour    
   
   > Cancer Prevention Research Training Program Brown Bag. Offered through the fellowship program.
   >GS210051 Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Sciences 1 hour
   >GS210062 Professional Science Skills: Communications 2 hours (summer only)
   >GS210123 Disparities in Health in America: Working Toward Social Justice 3 hours
   >GS210101 Surviving in Science 1 hour
   >One of the following two courses:
   GS210132 Human Protocol Research (trials) 2 hours
   GS210232 Translational Research 2 hours
   
   
2. Epidemiology courses
   
   >PH2610 Introduction to Epidemiology 3 hours
   PH2615 Design and Management of Epidemiologic Field Studies 4 hours
   PH2710 Advanced Epidemiologic Methods I 3 hours
   PH 2712 Experimental Methods in Epidemiology 3 hours
   GS40032 Molecular Epidemiology 2 hours
   
   
3. Cancer biology courses
   
   >GS40063 Cancer Biology 3 hours
   PH 2165 Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis 3 hours
   GS40113 Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis 3 hours
   PH 2910 Introduction to Microarrays and Computational Systems Biology 2 hours
   
   
4. Genetics courses
   
   >GS110013 Genetics and Human Disease 3 hours
   GS110043 Molecular and Genetic Basis of Obesity 3 hours
   GS110033 Methods in Genetic Epidemiology Linkage 3 hours
   GS110092 Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases 3 hours
   PH 2850 & 2925 Population Genetics 2 hours
   PH3315, GS110023 Molecular & Cellular Approaches to Human Genetics 3 hours
   GS40203 Experimental Genetics 3 hours
   GS110042 Population Genetics 3 hours
   GS110082 Psychosocial Issues in Genetics 3 hours
   GS110711 Seminar in Genetics and Population Biology 3 hours
   GS11300 Analytic Methods for Genetic Studies 3 hours
   
   
5. Biophysics, medical physics and nuclear medicine courses
   
   GS020042 Radiation Biology 2 hours
   GS020093 Introduction to Medical Physics I, Basic Interaction 3 hours
   
   
6. Nutrition and physical activity courses
   
   PH2998 Nutritional Epidemiology 2 hours
   GS110043 Molecular and Genetic Basis of Obesity 3 hours
   PH 1235 Social and Behavioral Aspects of Physical Activity 3 hours
   
   
7. Immunology courses
   
   GS060014 Immunology I 4 hours
   GS060073 Cytokines and the Immune Response 3 hours
   GS060102 Immunology II: Regulation of Immune Responses 2 hours
   GS060112 Immunology III: Molecular Immunology 2 hours
   
   
8. Virology courses
   GS040043 Molecular Principles of Virology 3 hours
   GS040711 Seminar in Virology and Gene Therapy 1 hour
   
   
9. Biomathematics courses
   
   >GS010033 Introduction to Biostatistics and Bioinformatics 3 hours
   GS010014 Biomedical Statistics 4 hours
   GS010013 Bayesian Data Analysis 3 hours
   GS010023 Survival Analysis 3 hours
   
   
10. Behavioral science courses
    
    PH 1415 Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change 3 hours
    GS140023 Cognitive Neuroscience I 3 hours
    PH 1125 Principles & Practice of Data Management in Behavioral Sci Research 3 hours
    PH 1130 Measurement Theory 3 hours
    PH 1330 Scientific Writing for the Behavioral Sciences 3 hours
    PH 1420 & 1421 Research Design & Analysis in Behavioral Sci I & II 3 hrs
    
    
11. Health promotion and health education courses
    
    PH7498 Special Topics in Health Promotion & Health Education (Cancer Prev. & Control) 1-4 hrs
    PH7116 Health Promotion Theory and Methods 3 hours
    PH 1115 Health Survey Research Design 3 hours
    PH 1118 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods 3 hours
    PH 1120 Introduction to Program Evaluation 3 hours

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is an equal opportunity employer and a smoke-free workplace. This program encourages applications from women and minority students. This program is supported by the National Cancer Institute, Grant R25T-CA57730