National Cancer Institute - Cancer.gov

Howard University - Center for Cancer Research Cancer Track

About

The HU-CCR Cancer Track is a partnership between the following Howard University (HU) graduate programs and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Cancer Research (CCR):

This unique intercampus collaboration allows HU doctoral students to conduct all or part of their dissertation research in NCI CCR’s intramural research program located on the campuses of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda and Frederick, Maryland.

The partnership offers an integrated network of over 250 NCI CCR laboratories to HU graduate students, allowing students to develop a unique research project tailored to their specific interests in cancer research.

Students will have access to research and clinical resources on NCI CCR’s Bethesda and Frederick campuses, including the NIH Clinical Center, the world’s largest dedicated research hospital, as well as state-of-the-art cancer research technologies and personalized mentorship from both HU and NCI CCR scientific leaders.

Students may do one or more rotations at NCI CCR prior to joining an NCI CCR lab to conduct their dissertation research.

Following their rotation, if upon mutual agreement between the HU student and NCI CCR Principal Investigator (PI) the student joins the NCI CCR lab for dissertation research, stipend, tuition and health insurance costs will be covered by the NCI CCR PI for the duration of the HU student’s dissertation research.

Program Overview

  • Doctoral candidates admitted to HU Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs in Biomedical Sciences, Biology,  Pharmaceutical Sciences or Chemistry will be able to perform all or part of their dissertation research in NCI CCR laboratories as collaborative projects or co-mentorships between HU and NCI CCR PIs.
  • All HU-CCR Cancer Track students will retain a co-mentor at HU who will provide career advice and help foster the student's thesis work.
  • HU-CCR Cancer Track students will perform at least one rotation at NCI CCR during the first two years, typically during the summer following their first year. Rotations during the academic year and the summer before matriculating are also possible. Rotations are typically 6 to 10 weeks.
  • Following their rotation/s, upon mutual agreement between the HU student and NCI CCR PI, and with the approval of the student’s HU graduate program Director, HU-CCR Cancer Track students may join an NCI CCR lab for their dissertation research.

How to Participate

Who can participate?

Graduate students admitted to or enrolled in an HU Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. program in:

How do I participate?

  • Prospective HU graduate students may indicate their interest in joining the HU-CCR Cancer Track when applying for admission to participating HU Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. programs.
  • Once admitted, students should indicate their interest in the HU-CCR Cancer Track to their graduate program’s Advisory Committee and to the HU-CCR Cancer Track Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon.
  • HU students should identify potential NCI CCR mentors by browsing the research profiles of NCI CCR PIs interested in mentoring HU-CCR Cancer Track students, available below.

  • HU students may contact NCI CCR PIs directly to discuss a rotation in their lab, and to coordinate a start date and approximate duration for the rotation.

  • Once the HU student and NCI CCR PI have agreed to the rotation, the student should complete an HU-CCR Cancer Track Rotation Request form.  The HU-CCR Cancer Track Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon will then help arrange the rotation.
  • HU students who are US citizens or permanent residents and are considering doing a rotation during the summer should apply to the NIH Summer Internship Program (more information on this under Program Details below) via the application website, even if they have not arranged the rotation. Applications are between November and February.
  • For more information on program details and rotation options, please see the Program Details section below and/or contact the HU-CCR Cancer Track Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon.
Three researchers reviewing a document.

Faculty

CCR PIs who have expressed interest in hosting an HU-CCR Cancer Track student can be contacted directly by HU students to discuss potential research projects and rotation logistics. HU PIs who have expressed interest in co-mentoring HU-CCR Cancer Track students and collaborating with NCI CCR PIs can be contacted directly to discuss co-mentoring, potential collaborative research projects and collaboration logistics.

View Faculty

Program Details

What funding support is included?

Following their rotation, while the HU-CCR Cancer Track student is conducting dissertation research in an NCI CCR lab, tuition, stipend and health insurance costs will be covered by the NCI CCR PI who mentors the student. No financial support will be provided by the NCI CCR PI during rotations, except for summer rotations preformed through the NIH Summer Internship Program (see below).

What is required of HU-CCR Cancer Track students?

The HU-CCR Cancer Track student must be admitted to or enrolled in a participating HU Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. program in Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or Chemistry.

When can the student start their rotation?

Rotations can be scheduled at any time mutually agreed upon by the student and the NCI CCR PI, but only after the student has been admitted to one of the participating HU Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. 

How do the rotations work?

Rotations during the academic year or during the summer between the first and second year

Students already enrolled in one of the participating HU Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs may conduct rotations during the academic year or during the summer between the first and second year. After the rotation has been agreed upon between the student and the CCR PI, the student should complete the HU-CCR Cancer Track Rotation Request form. HU-CCR Cancer Track Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon will arrange the rotation through a special volunteer mechanism. It typically takes six weeks for this mechanism to take effect, so please plan accordingly. For rotations that are not done through the NIH Summer Internship Program (see below), HU must cover the stipend, healthcare, and tuition if applicable.

Summer rotations between the first and second year through the NIH Summer Internship Program

US citizens and permanent residents can do summer rotations through the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP), in which case NCI CCR will cover stipend and healthcare. Students considering doing a summer rotation through the SIP are strongly encouraged to apply via the NIH SIP application website between November and February (see SIP website for specific dates), even if they have not yet arranged the rotation. After the rotation has been agreed upon between the student and the NCI CCR PI in whose lab they plan to rotate, students should complete the HU-CCR Cancer Track Rotation Request form and ask the NCI CCR PI to accept the rotation in the SIP system. Rotations done through the SIP must take place from early June to early August.

Rotation Summary and Evaluation Forms

Within two weeks following the end of the rotation, the HU student will need to complete an HU-CCR Cancer Track Rotation Summary Form for HU students and the NCI CCR PI will need to complete an HU-CCR Cancer Track Rotation Evaluation Form for CCR PIs. The forms can be obtained from the Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon at the conclusion of the rotation.

Joining an NCI CCR lab for dissertation research

If the HU student and NCI CCR PI agree on the student joining the lab, the student should request the approval of their HU graduate program director. Once approved, the HU student and NCI CCR PI will complete the required documentation.

Please contact the HU-CCR Cancer Track Program Administrator Cynthia Gordon with any questions.