Applicant Eligibility. Applicants for the proposed training positions must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents. We will target pre- and postdoctoral trainees with an outstanding track record of performance and productivity during their undergraduate and doctoral programs. Candidates must also demonstrate a strong interest in interdisciplinary approaches to cancer research in one of our thematic research focus areas.
Encouraging Diversity. The UF Health Cancer Center values and respects diversity and our training programs are committed to enhancing the diversity of scientists in cancer research. Trainees from diverse backgrounds (including individuals from racial and ethnic groups that are shown to be underrepresented in health-related sciences, those with disabilities, or from socially/economically disadvantaged backgrounds) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Team Formation. Teams are comprised of two PhD trainees (modeling the format of the CTSI’s TL1 Program) or as a novel extension of the CTSI TL1 model, as a team of two postdoctoral trainees or as a near-peer mentoring team comprised of a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow. In all cases, the team must consist of trainees from two different colleges, departments or disciplines. Team mentors must have cancer-focused R01 (or equivalent) funding. Team applications must be preapproved by the trainees’ primary mentors and, in teams involving graduate students, the PhD major graduate program. Information and networking sessions will be offered to help identify potential team connections.
Application & Selection Process. Team applications include: cover sheet with demographic information and program affiliations of team members and mentors; Team Research Plan; Team Mentoring Plan; and NIH Biosketches for each team member and mentor.
- Team Research Plans are written jointly by the applicants, working together as a team for the first time. They describe the common research interest or question that brought the team together, rationale for the collaboration, and how team members’ backgrounds and/or experiences are complementary.
- The Team Mentoring Plan is written jointly by the team mentors and addresses their familiarity with and support for the team’s proposed collaborative research, willingness to co-mentor the team, relevance of proposed research, planned frequency and type of contact with team members.
Trainee Support. Trainee stipends are fixed by the National Institutes of Health and vary depending on the number of years of experience following a doctoral degree. Current levels of support can be found at NOT-OD-22-132. Trainees are also eligible for health insurance, tuition support, and some travel funds when appropriate for advancing the training experience. UFHCC funds are used for additional trainee support.
