Unique Pediatric Neuropathology Mentorship Opportunity Announced

Dr. Christopher Pierson today asked me to post the following recruitment letter for early-career neuropathologists. If you are a more senior neuropathologist, please pass this announcement on to your junior colleagues:

Dear Neuropathologist,

The Children’s Oncology Group Young Investigator (COG-YI) mentor/mentee program is currently soliciting applications for potential mentees. The purpose of this program is to provide an avenue for younger members of the COG with a defined interest in a specific pediatric tumor, such as brain tumors, to get involved with research. The program identifies mentors from the pathology discipline already involved in research with the defined tumor of interest. Limited travel funds support the ability for mentors and mentees to meet at yearly COG meetings, and for YI mentees to present progress in their research at the yearly fall meeting. The program does not fund specific research projects, but can help direct individuals to other funding sources if needed.

Requirements for potential mentee:         

1.         Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Member

2.         Less than 10 years from completion of fellowship/residency           

3.         Precise area of interest within a specific pediatric tumor

4.         Completed application (see below). 

An optimal mentee is an individual with a defined focus in a specific pediatric tumor. Mentees should submit a project proposal related to this area of interest that utilizes resources unique to the COG, such as H+E slides, paraffin sections, tissue microarrays, and in some cases frozen samples.  Mentees will be paired with a COG pathology mentor active in the disease discipline of interest to further develop and carry out the project. Some pairings may mature to a young investigator mentee becoming a tertiary reviewer for that disease discipline.

This three-year program is aimed to provide guidance to COG young investigators who have matured in their career to a level of interest in one particular pediatric tumor.  Those who are still exploring or examining various subjects within pediatric tumors should not apply. Interested applicants must apply by June 10^th, 2011 to meet at the Fall 2011 meeting in Atlanta. Specifically, for the pathology mentees, limited funding is available from the COG Pathology Committee for travel to accomplish a specified project.  According to the COG policies, the travel funding is set at a maximum of $1000.

To apply for the COG YI pathology mentorship program, please prepare the following:

1.      Project proposal (1-2 pages with brief description of background, hypothesis, proposed methods, with brief references).

2.            Curriculum vitae

3.            Letter of support from Department Chair

4.            Documentation of COG membership (can be obtained at the COG website)

Completed applications should be sent to:

Chris Pierson, M.D., Ph.D

COG Pathology Committee YI Liaison

Christopher.pierson@nationwidechildrens.org