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| The goal of this program continues to be in-depth training in the development and use of radioactive tracers, with emphasis on positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in basic and applied problems in cancer research and related areas. Expanded programs in medical physics and radiation oncology are also proposed in the current application. Advances in these fields require the highest levels of multidisciplinary education. Our past pre- and postdoctoral trainees have obtained excellent positions, and there is an ongoing national need for persons with expertise in biomedical nuclear sciences that encompass the disciplines of chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and physics.
At full strength, we proposed to have eight trainee positions divided equally between pre- and postdoctoral students. The anticipated duration of training at the predoctoral level is four years, while two-year appointments are expected at the postdoctoral level. Predoctoral trainees must have a strong academic background in physics, chemistry, and biology along with a well-defined set of career goals and a high level of commitment to the program. Postdoctoral trainees are chosen from applicants with earned PhD or MD-PhD degrees. Physician-trainees must be specialty board-certified or eligible for admissions. Particular attention will be paid to recruitment and retention of persons from under-represented minority groups. The training experience includes didactic and practical courses, special colloquia, seminars, and conferences with a strong emphasis on laboratory research. Research begins with ongoing projects of the participating faculty. As trainees advance, they are encouraged to follow avenues of their own innovation.
Special program resources include an on-site cyclotron, multiple PET and SPECT scanners, and MRI and NMR spectrometers. Linear accelerators, CT simulators, high- and low-dose irradiators, and a fully outfitted radiobiology laboratory are also available. Trainees who pursue clinically oriented research have access, after appropriate approvals, to patients of Nuclear Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. The strength of our program resides not only in excellent facilities and a high level of Institutional support, but also in the experience and diversity of the 15 participating faculty. We propose to provide a complete balanced program that trains individuals for leadership roles in fields relevant to cancer research. |
