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Dr. Jon Houtman awarded NIH/NCI R25 funding to support cancer research opportunities

Jon Houtman imageDr. Jon Houtman, Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Associate Director for Career Enhancement, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been awarded a 5-year, $1.7 million National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute grant titled, “R25 YES: Cancer Research Opportunities at Iowa.” This summer research training program at the University of Iowa will include a research methods training, immersion in an outstanding research project, a course in cancer biology, career counseling, and follow-up after the students complete the summer research training program, and community involvement. The program will train underrepresented students, both undergraduate and high school. The University will also host faculty from undergraduate and high school institutions to expose them to research projects and to learn about development and enhancement of the science curricula at their home institution. Dr. David Lubaroff is the Multi-PI named on the project with more than 40 faculty members from various University departments also participating.

Abstract 

Francoise LaSage - REU student in lab

Underrepresented (UR) populations are less likely to obtain advanced degrees in the field ofncancer research. In an attempt to address this problem, the Principal Investigators (Co-Pis) andntheir colleagues at the University of Iowa (UI) have previously enrolled 123 undergraduate (UR) students during previous 16 summer programs. In order to continue our successful summer  programs we are submitting this application for an NCI-funded summer training program in cancer research for Underrepresented High School and Undergraduate Student Research Experiences (R25 YES). The proposed program will include a research methods training, emersion in an outstanding research project, courses in cancer biology, career counseling, follow-up after the students complete the summer research training program and community outreach programming. Our plan is to train both undergraduate and high school students to encourage their future participation in cancer research. We will also host faculty from these institutions to expose them to research projects and to learn about development and enhancement of the science curricula at their home institution. We will utilize of the Ul's Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies in the College of Education in the development of the course. The goals or objectives of the proposed program include: (a) torecruit UR students who would not routinely have access to a program that will be designed to provide opportunities to learn about and perform cancer research; (b) to design a training program for these students that will expose them to a cancer research career; (c) to providecareer counseling about the variety of employment options such as academia, industry, and government or private research centers; (d) to provide one-on-one conversations with heads of departments, directors of interdisciplinary graduate programs, directors of PREP at Iowa, a post-baccalaureate program, medical school admissions, and directors of the MD-PhD program; (e) to continue training and career counseling between the two years of the training program aswell as after completion of the University of Iowa's R25 YES program; and (f) community outreach and extended mentoring. Exposing underrepresented students and teachers to science and research will support our goal and the goal of the NCI to support cancer research and ultimately long-term survival for cancer patients or their cure by increasing the number and diversity of new scientists engaged in research studies, including clinical trials. The proposed program has a strong likelihood of success based both on our design of the program and our past successes with previous summer research training programs.

Date: 
Thursday, November 16, 2023