The American Cancer Society funds the ACS Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program, which aims to strengthen the cancer workforce by increasing the number of individuals in the biomedical field. The ACS Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program is a two-year cancer research experience designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree who intend to pursue medical school or graduate studies in biomedical science, public health, or a health profession.

Program Benefits

• Two-year program with individual development plan
• Opportunity to perform cancer research tailored to research interests
• Exposure to clinical oncology through clinical trial design education and supervised shadowing
• Career development training and mentoring through academic skills workshops, career information seminars, and collaborative scientific interactions
• Access to monthly seminars and networking sessions presented by Sylvester, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• Year-round professional development
• Development of writing skills
• Community networking through bidirectional engagement of local communities
• Conference attendance and national networking
• Summer schedule of career development sessions and networking events, including:
  
  • Mini bootcamps on understanding computational and bioinformatics approaches in oncology research
  • Workshops on academic skills, career training, graduate school, and research options
  • Fieldtrips centered around community outreach and cancer disparities
  • Interactions with Sylvester leadership
• Competitive annual stipend and benefits

As a result of intensive research and mentorship, ACS Post-bac fellows will demonstrate enhanced knowledge, skills, and preparedness for advanced education and career opportunities in the field on oncology.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Undergraduate degree completed within 12 months of program start date
  
• Member of a group that is underrepresented in science and medicine and/or from an economically disadvantaged background
  
• Interested in a STEM discipline and career in cancer-related research (science, technology, engineering, and medicine)
  
• In good academic standing, with an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. 

Program Mentors

Name & Academic Rank	Department	Cancer Research Focus
Sylvia Daunert, Pharm.D., M.S., Ph.D. Professor	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Dr. Daunert’s lab focuses on microbiome research, including quorum sensing and the development of biosensors for QSMs, host-microbiome interactions, and investigating the mechanisms and effect of the microbiome on the on-set of cancer.
Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D. Professor	Surgery	Dr. El-Rifai's lab investigates the roles of infection, inflammation and oxidative stress in tumorigenesis for the development of therapeutic approaches target redox vulnerabilities in cancer cells.
Sophia George, Ph.D. Associate Professor	Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences	Dr. George’s area of research is hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. The lab uses molecular genetics, epigenetics and transcriptomics to study disease pathogenesis and overall outcome of women diagnosed with these diseases.
David Benner Lombard, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor	Pathology	Dr. Lombard’s lab focuses on SIRT5, a protein that is dispensable in normal cells and tissues, but that plays a key pro-survival role in melanoma.
Eric Mellon, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor	Radiation Oncology	Dr. Mellon's area of research interest is MRI-guided radiation therapy for cancer.
Matthew Schlumbrecht, M.D. Professor	Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences	Dr. Schlumbrecht’s primary area of interest is in gynecologic cancer disparities, and specifically those that impact black women and women of Afro-Caribbean descent.
Denise Vidot, Ph.D. Associate Professor	Nursing & Health Studies	Dr. Vidot’s research interest focuses on the biological, psychosocial, and societal implications of cannabis/cannabinoid use across the lifespan. One of her projects aims to assess the frequency, patterns, and reasons for cannabis use among cancer patients.

Important Dates

This program is not currently accepting new applications. Please check back for further information.