Professional Development Core

The Professional Development Core (PDC) seeks to build an integrated program of education and career development focused on the following:

Developing early-stage investigators that will understand how to work in interdisciplinary teams and maintain long-lasting collaborations with clinical and basic scientists
Providing training for practicing community clinicians so they can then become effective collaborators in research projects
Providing scholars with professional development activities (curricula) that will aid them in becoming competitive for extramural funding and building them into the next generation of mentors
Providing mentors with training in communication, expectations, independence, team science, and inclusiveness

The PDC welcomes applications for the following funding mechanisms:

DaCCoTA Scholars Program

The purpose of this award is to stimulate the development of new Clinical and Translational Research (CTR) investigators. Applications are expected to address cancer-related CTR and can consider the multilevel manifestations of cancer (e.g. neurological, psychiatric), demographic risks, and social impact. Each awardee will receive salary support (50% FTE plus fringe) that guarantees a minimum of 50% protected research time for the project. The DaCCoTA will provide the first three years of funding, and the final two years will be funded by the applicant’s home institution (contingent on adequate progress). The awardee will also receive up to $50,000 in annual research support for up to 5 years. Individuals that have had or currently hold an NIH R01 award are not eligible for the program. Individuals who already have project funding (PI role) through an NIH IDeA program also are not eligible. A maximum budget of $160,000 is allowed, and indirect costs must be deducted from the award if the applicant’s institution warrants such removal. The DaCCoTA Scholars Program offers both a basic and community engagement track, and early career faculty are encouraged to apply.

RFA for the DaCCoTA Basic Scholars Program

Letter of Intent Deadline: March 15, 2021
Application Deadline: April 15, 2021
Anticipated Award Period: August 2021 – July 2024

RFA for the DaCCoTA Community Engagement Scholars Program

Letter of Intent Deadline: March 15, 2021
Application Deadline: April 15, 2021
Anticipated Award Period: August 2021 – July 2024

Clinical Research Opportunities Program

This program provides 20% release time (up to NIH cap) to community-practicing, hospital-based clinicians to allow for participation in training activities and collaboration in cancer-focused CTR. The goal of the program is to begin to shift translational cancer research in the Upper Midwest to an enterprise informed by the patient.

The current NIH salary cap is $199,300 or $39,860 plus fringe benefits for 20% release time. Individuals may negotiate any difference between this salary amount and actual salary with their home institution. Although these awards are intended to provide 20% support for 2 years, the duration can be shortened or extended, and the % effort will be adjusted accordingly. Applications are welcome that consider the multilevel manifestations of cancer (e.g. neurological, psychiatric), demographic risks, and social impact.

It is not intended that supported individuals will become full-time, independent investigators with funding for their own research projects. However, it is expected that providing an understanding of CTR and tools for identifying unmet medical needs will allow trained clinicians to become effective collaborators. Individuals may collaborate with both clinical and non-clinical scientists to help identify unmet clinical needs that can become the focus of translational research efforts.

RFA for the Clinical Research Opportunities Program

Letter of Intent Deadline: March 15, 2021
Application Deadline: April 15, 2021
Anticipated Award Period: August 2021 – July 2023

Curriculum for DaCCoTA Scholars and Clinical Research Opportunities Program Awardees

PDC Core Faculty

Lee Baugh, PhD - Director of the PDC

Dr. Baugh is an Associate Professor of Basic Biomedical Sciences at USD. Dr. Baugh's primary research interests include examining the cognitive and neuropsychological foundations of skilled movement and deficits in such movement that can arise both from healthy aging and neurological damage. Without the ability to act upon our thoughts and ideas via interacting with our environment, our cognition would serve little purpose. Dr. Baugh's lab examines questions related to how our brain represents and utilizes the information required to successfully interact with our surroundings. This question is of fundamental importance, bridging the gap between the brain and the outside world. To accomplish this goal, his lab utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach that includes traditional cognitive psychology methodology, as well as neuropsychological patient investigation, fMRI, EEG, EMG, and the advanced analysis of kinematic data.

Donald Sens, PhD - Co-Director of the PDC

Dr. Sens is a Professor of Pathology at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. His administrative experience is evidenced by his role as PI of the P20 INBRE program at UND and as the Program Coordinator for the recently awarded Cankdeska Cikana Native American Research Centers for Health. Dr. Sens has maintained active research support throughout his career, holding and participating in a wide variety of R01 research grants and R25 educational grants. His research is focused on the use of human tissues and derived cell cultures in biomedical research. The major theme of his research is to identify environmental agents that elicit human disease and cause alterations in cell structure and function, which can be used as predictive biomarkers of disease development and progression. His current studies address the role of environmental exposure to arsenic and cadmium in the development and progression of human bladder, breast, prostate, and renal diseases, including cancer. Dr. Sens was a reviewer for the DOD breast cancer program at its initiation and chaired a DOD breast cancer study section for over 10 years. He has served as a mentor in many capacities and has direct mentoring experience with undergraduates, graduate students, residents, and postdoctoral fellows.

Contact the DaCCoTA if you are interested in participating in any of our career development and mentoring opportunities.