Early Investigator Advancement Program Announces Second Cohort of Scholars
, by CRCHD Staff
The cancer research enterprise needs a continuous flow of talent through the research career pipeline to thrive. One critical juncture is the transition from junior investigator to independent investigator. To this end, in late 2021 the National Cancer Institute launched the Early Investigator Advancement Program (EIAP) to facilitate the advancement of scientists from diverse backgrounds to become independent investigators.
Today, NCI is proud to announce the second cohort of EIAP Scholars:
- Isaac Adjei, PhD, Texas A&M University
- Stacyann Bailey, PhD, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Zinzi Bailey, ScD, MSPH, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- Ramon Barajas, MD, Oregon Health & Science University
- Joseph Crompton, MD, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
- Jennifer Cunningham-Erves, PhD, MPH, MAEd, MS, CHES, Meharry Medical College
- Pilar de la Puente, PhD, Sanford Research/University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
- Bisrat Debeb, DVM, PhD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Marcos Estecio, PhD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Arnold Etame, MD, PhD, Moffitt Cancer Center
- Jorge Gomez-Gutierrez, PhD, University of Missouri-Columbia
- Jessica Islam, PhD, MPH, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
- Amanda Janitz, PhD, MPH, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
- Felicite Noubissi, PhD, Jackson State University
- Shreyas Rao, PhD, University of Alabama
- Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, MD, MPH, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Naoko Sasamoto, MD, PhD, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Travis Sawyer, PhD, University of Arizona
- Mary Kathryn Sewell-Loftin, PhD, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Urvi Shah, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Stephano Spano Mello, PhD, University of Rochester
- Arnethea Sutton, PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Fred Tabung, PhD, MSPH, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Jonathan Villena-Vargas, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine| New York-Presbyterian
- Cristina Zavaleta, PhD, University of Southern California
EIAP aims to:
- Enhance professional skills;
- Guide preparation of an R01 grant application;
- Provide access to a mentoring and peer network; and
- Grow a community of emerging independent investigators from diverse backgrounds.
Each year, EIAP will support the professional and career development of a cohort of Early Stage Investigators and New Investigators who are preparing to submit an R01.
Among the NCI's first cohort of EIAP Scholars, 16 developed a complete draft R01 grant application for submission to NIH. Of those 16, 12 Scholars have submitted their R01 applications to NIH. The other four Scholars intend to submit their R01 to NIH in 2023. Three scholars continue to work on their R01 drafts and will complete those in 2023 for submission to NIH in 2023 or 2024. In addition, in 2022 the inaugural cohort published 118 scientific articles, many of which were first author in prestigious publications such as Cancer, Blood, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. Also, 15% of Scholars have either been promoted by their respective institution or received research funding from NIH, other federal agencies, or non-profit organizations. Through EIAP, Scholars were supported by high-ranking, well-known, and highly sought-after mentors with deep experience and commitment to advancing cancer and cancer health disparities research. The EIAP TEAM is proud of the inaugural cohort’s accomplishments and looks forward to witnessing the Scholars' continued success.
Visit the EIAP webpage to learn more.