Goals
SPEECH Goals towards mentorship and training involve several cores which capitalizes on the numerous strengths in training and research education across Temple University Fox Chase Cancer Center (TUFCCC) and Hunter College (HC) to facilitate the professional enrichment of students and junior investigators underrepresented in cancer research.
We have several training opportunities available:
- Summer Cancer Research Institute (undergraduate and graduate students)
- Mentored Research projects (undergraduate and graduate students)
- Cancer Research Fellowships (postdocs, junior research faculty, early stage investigators)
SCRI
Summer Cancer Research Institute (SCRI)
2026 Summer Cancer Research Institute (SCRI)
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31, 2026
The SCRI program is an 8-week intensive summer program supported by the National Cancer Institute U54 funding to Temple University and Hunter College, thus establishing the Synergistic Partnership for Enhancing Excellence in Cancer Health (SPEECH). Undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing biomedical, clinical, and population-based cancer research are welcome to apply. We encourage applications from students of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds. Students must be currently enrolled at either Temple University or Hunter College to participate.
The participants will benefit from:
- Hands-on research training
- Mentored training experience
- Participation in cancer seminars and skill-building workshops
- Written and oral science communication
The application portal for SCRI 2026 is now OPEN!! Application filing period: November 1, 2025, to January 23, 2026.
Mentors
| Mentors and Training Program Faculty (2018-Present) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | U54 Role | Expertise | Department |
| Temple University Fox Chase Cancer Center (TUFCCC) | |||
| 1. Sarah Bass, PhD | EFSM | risk communication, cancer education | Social/Behavioral Sciences |
| 2. J. Robert Beck, MD | SM | decision-making, health services research | Chief Academic Officer |
| 3. Bradley Collins, PhD | EFSM | tobacco control, health outcomes | Social/Behavioral Sciences |
| 4. Carolyn Fang, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | health outcomes, behavioral intervention | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 5. Susan Fisher, PhD | Co-I, SM | cancer epidemiology | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 6. Suzanne M. Miller, PhD | EFSM | decision making, psychosocial and coping profile | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 7. Shannon Lynch, PhD | EFSM | cancer epidemiology, health outcomes | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 8. Jennifer Reese, PhD | EFSM | cancer survivorship, psychosocial interventions | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 9. Michael Halpern, MD, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | health services and outcomes research | Health Policy & Administration |
| 10. Grace X. Ma, PhD | PI/PD, EFSM | Cancer health outcomes, CBPR, behavioral intervention & implementation science | Center for Asian Health, Clinical Sciences, LKSOM |
| 11. Camille Ragin, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | health outcomes, cancer epidemiology | Cancer Prevention & Control |
| 12. Eric Ross, PhD | Co-L, SM | biostatistics, bioinformatics | Biostatistics &Bioinformatics |
| 13. Jiangtao Gou, PhD | SM | Biostatistics | Biostatistics & Bioinformatics |
| 14. Yin Tan, MD, MPH | Co-L, SM | community outreach & engagement | Center for Asian Health |
| 15. Minhhuyen Nguyen, MD, | Co-I, SM | liver cancer prevention and treatment | Dept of Medicine |
| 16. Ana Gamero, PhD | EFSM | cancer biochemistry: apoptosis | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 17. Xavier Graña, PhD | Co-I, EFSM | cancer biochemistry: tumor suppressors | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 18. Jonathan Soboloff, PhD | EFSM | cancer biochemistry: signaling | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 19. Kelly Whelan, PhD | EFSM | cancer biology, autophagy | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 20. Nora Engel, PhD | EFSM | cancer epigenetics, gene transcription | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 21. Glenn Rall, PhD | Co-I, EFSM | viral infection, immunity | Blood Cell Development |
| 22. Jean-Pierre Issa, MD | MPI, EFSM | cancer epigenetics | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 23. Carmen Sapienza, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | cancer genetics | Fels, Molecular Biology |
| 24. Edna Cukierman, PhD | EFSM | cancer biology, tumor microenvironment | Cancer Biology |
| 25. Joseph Testa, PhD | Co-I, EFSM | cancer biology, clinical cytogenomics | Cancer Biology |
| 26. Michael Hall, MD | EFSM | clinical genetics, GI cancer risk | Clinical Genetics |
| 27. Cherie P. Erkman, MD | Co-I, SM | lung cancer screening, shared decision making | Depts of Surgery & Medicine |
| 28. Mark Weiner, MD | SM | Medical Informatics | Clinical Sciences & Medicine |
| Hunter College (HC) | |||
| 29. Joel Erblich, PhD | MPI, SM | cognitive factors & genetics in addictive behaviors | Psychology |
| 30. Sarit A. Golub, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | risk, decision-making, and health behavior | Psychology |
| 31. Tracey Revenson, PhD | EFSM | psychological adjustment to chronic illness | Psychology |
| 32. Anita Nirenberg, PhD, RN | SM | cancer symptom management, palliative care | Nursing |
| 33. Donna Nickitas, PhD | EFSM | community health, service-learning | Nursing |
| 34. Khursheed Navder, PhD | Co-I, SM | cancer nutrition | Public Health, Nutrition |
| 35. Mingchin Yeh, PhD | Co-L, SM | cancer nutrition | Public Health, Nutrition |
| 36. Jill Bargonetti, PhD | EFSM | cancer biology, P53 | Biological Sciences |
| 37. Derrick Brazill, PhD | EFSM | signal transduction | Biological Sciences |
| 38. David Foster, PhD | EFSM | cancer biochemistry: cancer cell survival | Biological Sciences |
| 39. Frida E. Kleiman, PhD | Co-L, SM | cancer biochemistry: DNA damage | Chemistry |
| 40. Diego Loayza, PhD | SM | telomere function | Biological Sciences |
| 41. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi, MD, PhD | PI/PD, EFSM | cancer biology, cancer health outcomes | Biological Sciences |
| 42. Charles Michael Drain, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | nanotechnology, imaging, phototherapy | Chemistry |
| 43. Lynn Francesconi, PhD | EFSM | molecular imaging and therapy | Chemistry |
| 44. Hiroshi Matsui, PhD | SM | cancer nanotechnology | Chemistry |
| 45. Brian Zeglis, PhD | EFSM | molecular imaging and therapy | Chemistry |
| 46. Konstantinos Krampis, PhD | Co-L, EFSM | genomic sequencing data analysis | Biological Sciences |
| 47. Weigang Qiu, PhD | EFSM | population genomics and bioinformatics | Biological Sciences |
Newsletters
Trainee Opportunities
NIH/NCI Funding Opportunities:
The following funding opportunities aim to support career and research development in the field of cancer research, For more information on each opportunity, visit the Funding for Cancer Training NCI Page.
Predoctoral Candidates & PhD Students:
- Eligibility: Predoctoral candidates in a dual doctoral degree program (e.g., MD/PhD, DDS/PhD, DO/PhD).
- Due Dates: 3 Cycles - April 8, August 8, December 8 2026
- Eligibility: PhD candidates
- Due Dates: 3 Cycles - April 8, August 8, December 8 2026
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- Individual Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award (F99/K00)
- Eligibility: 3rd and 4th year health-related PhD students
- Individual Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award (F99/K00)
- Due Dates: 3 Cycles - April 8, August 8, December 8 2026
Postdoctoral Fellows and Early-Stage Investigators:
- NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers K99/R00)
- Eligibility: Postdoctoral fellows with no more than 2 years of postdoctoral research experience
- Due Dates: 2 Cycles - June 14, October 14 2026
- NCI Pathway to Independence Award (Extended K99/R00)
- Eligibility: Postdoctoral fellows with less than 6 years of postdoctoral research experience
- Due Dates: 2 Cycles - June 14, October 14 2026
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- Eligibility: Postdoctoral and Early-Stage Investigators
- Due Dates: 3 Cycles - February 12, June 12, October 12 2026
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- Eligibility: Postdoctoral and early-stage faculty clinical scientists (*must have an active U.S clinical licensure)
- Due Dates: 3 Cycle 0 February 12, June 12, October 2026
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- Eligibility: Postdoctoral, Early-Stage, and Established Investigators
- Due Dates: 3 Cycles - February 12, June 12, October 2026
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- Eligibility: Predoctoral, Postdoctoral, and Clinical Fellows
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- Due Dates: Pending (Forecasted Opportunity)