Developmental Research Program

The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer SPORE will make every effort to maximize the number of innovative and high quality projects in the Developmental Research Program. The goal of this Program is to support innovative, scientifically sound research projects from which findings can be translated into clinically relevant applications that will impact diagnosis and management of breast cancer. This Program will: (1) encourage and solicit innovative translational laboratory, population, and clinical study proposals;(2) encourage and support interdisciplinary collaboration in translational research in breast cancer;and (3) generate new hypotheses that can be tested in larger-scale research projects or clinical trials that can impact breast cancer. The availability of this support provides a stimulus for creativity in the research community, a vehicle for encouraging the interaction of basic scientists and translational investigators, and an opportunity for expanding the research spectrum of the SPORE by pursuing new leads based on discoveries and/or opportunities that arise. The Developmental Research Program will provide $50,000 for one year ($30,000 from SPORE funds and a matching $20,000 from institutional resources) to each of five projects. There will be the possibility of a second year of support based on progress. A process will be established to call for applications on an annual basis and to formally peer review submissions utilizing the expertise of the Internal Scientific Advisory Committee and other experienced investigators. Criteria will be based upon scientific merit, originality, qualifications of the key personnel and interactions, and translational potential. It is anticipated that support of developmental research projects will result in the generation of new hypotheses that can potentially be addressed in existing SPORE-sponsored projects, or through peer reviewed external grant support. It is the intent of the SPORE leadership to encourage and help the investigators to use the data generated by these projects to establish preclinical or clinical trials in breast cancer. In addition the SPORE leadership will work with the investigators to secure independent R01 or Program Project Grant funding before the end of the five years funding period covered by this grant.