Lincoln University – Fox Chase Partnership in Cancer Research and Training (P20)

Under the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) "Feasibility Studies for Collaborative Interaction for Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership (MI/CCP)"

The objectives of the partnership are designed to train Lincoln students and faculty capable of conducting first-class biomedical and population-based research and to implement joint research projects that attack cancer health disparities. A secondary objective is to develop collaborative faculty pilot projects enhancing Lincoln faculty’s ability to pursue NIH funding to support discrete, specified, circumscribed projects in areas representing their specific interests and competencies.

This effort is being led by Co-Principal Investigators J. Robert Beck, MD at Fox Chase Cancer Center (an NCI designated Cancer Center) and Anna Hull, PhD at Lincoln University (a Historically Black College/Institution).

Lincoln University (a Historically Black College/Institution) located in Chester County, PA, is the first historically black university in the country. Lincoln University of PA demonstrates a long-standing history of preparing students for leadership roles. Noted Lincoln alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, poet Langston Hughes and educator Melvin B. Tolson, portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2007 film "The Great Debaters."

Fox Chase Cancer Center (a National-Cancer-Institute-designated Cancer Center) is the region's only hospital devoted entirely to cancer treatment, research, and prevention. U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks our 100-bed hospital, located in Philadelphia, among the top cancer centers in the nation. Our nationally and internationally recognized staff provides consultations and treatment recommendations for all types of adult cancer.

Lincoln University Summer Internship

The overall purpose of the collaborative summer internship between Fox Chase Cancer Center and Lincoln University (an HBCU/MI) is to create an opportunity for selected students and faculty to train at Fox Chase Cancer Center with experienced cancer researchers conducting first-class biomedical and population-based research utilizing equipment and techniques otherwise unavailable. As a result, both the students' and faculty members' experiences will be evaluated for future program development.

The summer program provides a comprehensive orientation and training in areas of cancer biology and population science:

• Conducting scholarly research
• Health literacy, cultural competency and health disparities
• Biostatistics and bioinformatics
• Bioethics and biotechnology
• Understanding cancer and navigating resources, prevention, detection, treatment and control
• The conduct of basic science and clinical trials
• Regulatory compliance through the IRB, IACUC and Radiation Safety.

The 2010 interns were given an additional three-day orientation at Lincoln University to prepare them for their internship.

At the end of the 10-week long summer program, the original goals and measures will be evaluated through questionnaires and interviews looking at the participants' knowledge and understanding as well as the program's effectiveness.