Odyssey Program

The Odyssey Program sponsors outstanding postdoctoral fellows who wish to pursue innovative cancer research at MD Anderson. It: 

• Supports the training and research efforts of scientists at the beginning of their careers
• Encourages scientists to explore novel areas of clinical, translational, basic or population-based cancer research
• Gives participants the opportunity to take advantage of the resources offered by the institution

The Odyssey Program consists of the Odyssey Fellowship Program and the Outstanding Research Publication Award. The Odyssey Fellowship Program supports the training and research efforts of dedicated scientists at the beginning of their career, while the Outstanding Research Publication is an award given yearly to recognize the achievements of postdoctoral fellows for work accomplished at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Odyssey Fellowship Program receive a maximum of three years of support for salaries and other expenses. They work at MD Anderson in a stimulating environment that helps them prepare for successful careers in cancer research.

Odyssey Program Guidelines

Odyssey Program Advisory Committee

Proposals are reviewed and scored by the Odyssey Program Advisory Committee.

Members for 2022 are as follows (listed in the order they joined the committee):

• Di Zhou, Ph.D.,Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Chair
  
• Hoaqiang Ying, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology
• Swathi Arur, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Genetics
• Chandra Bartholomeusz, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology
• Powel H. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Chair, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention
• Daniel Frigo, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging
• Yejing Ge, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, Co-Chair
• Eugenie S. Kleinerman, M.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics - Research
• Gabriel Sawakuchi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Physics
• Grace Li Smith, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology
• Hussein Abbas, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Luekemia
• Mauro Di Pilato, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology
• Guocan Wang, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology - Research

Committee members serve for three years. Additional faculty may be requested as necessary to participate in the applications review process.

Annual Symposium

The Odyssey Symposium is held each June at MD Anderson. All Odyssey fellows are expected to participate in the symposium.

Contact Information

Nancy Strange
Program Coordinator
713-792-2552
ndstrange@mdanderson.org

Marites P. Melancon, Ph.D.
Director, Odyssey Program
713-794-5387
mmelancon@mdanderson.org