Welcome to the Cancer Biology Program!
Welcome to the Cancer Biology Program!
From the discovery of the first genetic abnormality that directly causes cancer, to the co-option of one’s own immune resources to find and destroy cancer cells, research at Penn has hugely impacted the study and treatment of cancer. Fundamentally, cancer will always be a genetic disease that manifests through pathologies rooted in cell and molecular biological defects. However, it is increasingly clear that efforts to fully understand and treat each cancer will require a multidisciplinary approach that capitalizes on intellectual insights from diverse scientific disciplines. The Cancer Biology Program is designed to train students in the core principles and experimental approaches within cancer biology and to empower their ability to conduct hypothesis-driven research to better understand the fundamental mechanisms that cause and define the hallmarks of cancer. However, beyond these fundamentals, we additionally arm students with critical intellectual skills that enable them to engage significantly within a scientific discipline that is critical for achieving their research goals. Students in the Cancer Biology Program capitalize on the diversity of opportunities that are available across campus ultimately integrating in faculty laboratories within the Perelman School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Arts and Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Wistar Institute, The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, The Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, and many, many others.
A defining feature of Penn’s Cancer Biology Program is its central role in bringing together the diverse facets of cancer research across Penn’s campus. This nucleating function of the program positions students and their research in the spotlight of the community and provides an outstanding mechanism for engagement amongst students and faculty across diverse scientific disciplines. As a community, our mission is to create and nurture an environment that fosters professional development, ignites a passion for research, and embraces collaboration amongst its membership. As faculty, our goal is to empower students with the capability to launch careers dedicated to improving our understanding and treatment of cancer. As students, our goal is to realize our potential as scientists, prepare for the next step in our careers, and contribute new knowledge to the field of cancer research.
CB Program Activities
Students are required to rotate in at least three distinct laboratories. The overarching goal of the rotation process is to find a thesis laboratory and principal investigator that best matches the student’s research goals and mentoring needs. As the first year begins, we provide multiple opportunities and tools for new students to engage with faculty and explore the many cancer research opportunities available across campus. Though the options for thesis research at Penn are vast, we provide several mechanisms to acquire advice along the way that help guide your search. Rotations are ~12 weeks long and roughly begin in late September, early January, and late March. Typically, students have joined a thesis laboratory by June of their first year. However, additional rotations or an extended time frame for joining a laboratory is allowed with approval from the CBP Chair.
First year students present two rotation talks—each 10 minutes long. The first rotation talk will take place after the first rotation. The talk will be given amongst other 1st year students and 3 faculty coaches. Students will receive feedback from the faculty coaches and their peers. The second rotation talk will be given after the second OR third rotation. This assignment will be made randomly. These talks are a “big deal”—not just for the students but for everyone. All students & faculty are invited to the talk. Afterward, we will celebrate accordingly!
Faculty Coaches: Drs Celeste Simon, Warren Pear, and David Feldser
PCR Talks is the cornerstone of #PennCancerResearch. PCR Talks brings together the entire PCR community each week and is designed to highlight the cutting-edge research performed by our students and postdocs. At each meeting, there are two, 25-min presentations with 5 mins of questions. PCR Talks presentations are given by our students and postdocs within the greater PCR community. All students and faculty in the Cancer Biology Program are encouraged to attend. First and second year CB Program students are required to attend. For 2022/2023 students in years 3 and up will present. PCR Talks is held Wednesday’s at Noon in the JMB Class of ’62 Auditorium. Each year PCR Talks start in early September and runs until end of May. Breaks for holidays and other events excluded. Lunch is provided
CB Program Committees
For fall 2024, we had 206 applications to the Cancer Biology Program. We interviewed 35 students and accepted 31. Our incoming class had 18 students (61% identify as female and 27% under-represented minority). The average GPA of accepted students was 3.4.
2024 Admissions Committee
David Feldser, Ph.D. (Chair)
Devraj Basu, M.D., Ph.D.
Robert Bowman, Ph.D.
Ahmed Diab, Ph.D.
Alex Huang, M.D.
Dr. Guilherme Nader, Ph.D.
Each incoming student is paired with a faculty advisor to help guide their integration into the Penn CBP community. The advisor:student relationship is highly flexible and should evolve organically to fit the needs of each student. Specific areas of emphasis for advice are the selection of rotations, academic coursework, work-life balance, and program-related extracurricular activities. An additional layer of advising is provided by a three-member panel of faculty that meets with each student prior to each rotation period to help select rotations or provide any other insights and advice if needed. After the choice of thesis advisor, student advising is handed off to the PI of the thesis lab and the thesis committee. Additional advice and mentorship is provided by the program chair or vice chair throughout as needed.
2023 Advising Committee
Dr. Margaret Chou, Ph.D. (Chair)
Dr. Lewis Chodosh, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Maureen Murphy, Ph.D.
Understanding that the study of cancer is a multidisciplinary enterprise, the Cancer Biology Program first provides all students with foundational knowledge of the cellular and molecular processes that underlie both cancer etiology and cancer therapy. Then, students undertake concentrated study in one of several academic disciplines that are particularly germane to cancer biology and timely to the current state of the field. This personalized approach is designed to give each student the opportunity to tailor their academic experience in a manner that best suits their research goals. See Academics page for details.
2022 Curriculum Committee
Dr. David Feldser, Ph.D. (Chair)
Krista Budinich - Student Representative