- Graduate Program in Cancer Biology
- Medical Students
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- Advanced Myeloma Fellowship
- Complex Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program
- Global Oncology and International Programs
- Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
- Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship Program
- Ocular Oncology Fellowship Program
- Oncology Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship Program
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship
- Radiation Oncology Residency Program
- Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy Fellowship
- Surgical Oncology NCI Funded Research Fellowship
- Urologic Oncology Fellowship Program
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About the Program
The Research Training in Surgical Oncology program is designed to train independent investigators who are interested in surgical oncology research in the areas of cancer biology, molecular therapeutics, tumor immunology, biomedical engineering, health disparities, population health and clinical trial design/implementation.
Funded by a T32 grant award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the program is led by program director, Nipun Merchant, M.D., Vice Chair of Surgical Oncology Services and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. The Research Training Program in Surgical Oncology addresses a critical need to help meet the future demands for training the next generation of surgical oncologists to pursue academic careers, become physician-scientists or clinician investigators, and translate research discoveries to clinical practice.
The program supports two trainees per year and fellowships are two years in duration.
The Research Training Program in Surgical Oncology capitalizes the high caliber mentoring faculty at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and the University of Miami Health System. Comprised of physician- and research-scientists with active research programs in a variety of surgical oncology-related disciplines including surgery, oncology, population health, health disparities, and biomedical engineering, who are committed to the highest quality research experience.
MD fellows accepted into the program will engage in a mentored research project which will be complemented by a set of core program activities, team science training, and responsible conduct of research training.
Our program is organized into two training tracks. Fellows will follow a core curriculum as well as additional activities that will vary depending on training track.
Basic and Translational Science Research Track
In this track, each fellow will develop laboratory projects based upon his/her individual research interests and expertise in collaboration with and under advisement of the faculty mentor.
Health Disparities and Outcomes Research Track
This track involves consists of either one year of laboratory-based research followed by a year of population-based research or two years of population-based research.
Each of our two training tracks is designed to provide opportunities in a broad range of research training disciplines to our trainees that is suitable for team training and will be staffed with collaborating faculty possessing appropriate expertise and experience to support these training experiences.
Trainees will benefit from common resources including:
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) Seminars and Lectures, Grant Writing Workshop, and Career Talks
- SCCC Trainee Membership, SCCC Shared Resources and the SCCC Annual Retreat
- SCCC Travel Awards
- Dialogues in Research Ethics, LinkedIn Learning, Calder Library
The mentors in our program include a pool of experienced, extramurally funded physician- and research-scientists with active research programs in a variety of surgical oncology-related disciplines including surgery, oncology, population health, health disparities, and biomedical engineering, who are committed to the highest quality research experience.
Trainees will receive close guidance from a primary mentor, who will be responsible for the direction of the project throughout the two-year program. In addition to a primary mentor, each trainee will have a mentoring committee that will include both MD and PhD members and will join existing, interdisciplinary research teams. Guided by their mentors, trainees will become skilled in research methods and will be prepared to pursue independent physician-scientist careers.
A rigorous selection criterion will be used to identify candidates likely to be successful in a career as an independent investigator. The training environment will enable fellows to work directly with preeminent T32 faculty mentors while engaging in several formal activities at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
- Residents in training in general surgery, breast surgery, colorectal surgery, endocrine surgery, gynecologic oncology, neurosurgery, surgical oncology, or urology.
- Citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or individuals that have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment.
- Candidates must be available for a 12-month appointment and agree to undertake a minimum of two years of research training from the time of appointment.
- People who have not had previous post-doctoral NRSA or T32 support.
- Application Form and Data Sheet
- One page “Statement of Research Interest”
- CV (Please include citizenship information)
- Two letters of reference
*One letter must be from a department chair or program director
Please submit your application to:
Research Training in Surgical Oncology T32 Program
Office of Education & Training
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Email: SurgicalOncologyT32@miami.edu
Project: Investigating the tumor microenvironment in Pancreatic cancer for novel mechanisms to facilitate therapeutic clinical intervention.
Mentor(s): Nipun Merchant, M.D., Jashodeep Datta, M.D., Nagaraj Nagathihalli, Ph.D.
Project: Evaluating the relationship between socioeconomic and racial residential segregation, neighborhood stress and structural racism on outcomes in breast cancer including stage at presentation, receipt of appropriate treatment, and survival outcomes.
Mentor(s): Nipun Merchant, M.D. and Neha Goel, M.D.
Project: Exploring the cross-section of social determinants of health and multi-omics of pancreatic cancer.
Mentor(s): Jashodeep Datta, M.D., Stephan C. Schürer, Ph.D., Tracy Crane, Ph.D.
Project: Role of IL-1 Receptor Accessory Protein in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Chemoresistance.
Mentor(s): Jashodeep Datta, M.D. and Nipun Merchant, M.D.
| Mentor | Position |
|---|---|
| Ashutosh Agarwal, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering |
| Michael H. Antoni, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Psychology |
| Glen N. Barber, Ph.D. | Professor Department of Cell Biology |
| Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D. | Professor Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology |
| Karoline Briegel, Ph.D. | Research Associate Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Anthony J. Capobianco, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H. | Professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences |
| Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Maria E. Figueroa, M.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Human Genetics |
| Eli Gilboa, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology |
| Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H. | Professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences |
| Stephen Lee, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
| Frank Penedo, Ph.D. | Professor, Departments of Psychology and Medicine |
| Priyamvada Rai, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Medicine |
| Sundaram Ramakrishnan, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Sabita Roy, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Ramin Shiekhattar, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Human Genetics |
| Emmanuel Thomas, M.D., Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine |
| Alexander Zaika, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Mentor | Position |
|---|---|
| Ashutosh Agarwal, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering |
| Michael H. Antoni, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Psychology |
| Glen N. Barber, Ph.D. | Professor Department of Cell Biology |
| Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D. | Professor Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology |
| Karoline Briegel, Ph.D. | Research Associate Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Anthony J. Capobianco, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H. | Professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences |
| Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Maria E. Figueroa, M.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Human Genetics |
| Eli Gilboa, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology |
| Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H. | Professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences |
| Stephen Lee, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
| Frank Penedo, Ph.D. | Professor, Departments of Psychology and Medicine |
| Priyamvada Rai, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Medicine |
| Sundaram Ramakrishnan, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Sabita Roy, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |
| Ramin Shiekhattar, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Human Genetics |
| Emmanuel Thomas, M.D., Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine |
| Alexander Zaika, Ph.D. | Professor, Department of Surgery |