Where Breakthroughs Begin

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The future of cancer research doesn’t always begin in a lab or clinic. It can start much earlier — when a student first looks into a microscope or meets a mentor who helps them see a future in science.

Faced with a nationwide need for more cancer researchers and clinicians, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center is investing early in the next generation of investigators and supporting them at every step. Through four distinct education and training programs, we are reimagining the academic pathway for oncology — preparing students at every stage of their journey to lead the fight against cancer.

Start Early, Stay Inspired

The road to a career in cancer research is a long one, and early exposure to science can make all the difference. At Moores Cancer Center, that journey can begin as early as high school.

The OPTIMUS program is a summer internship that immerses 24 high school students per year in hands-on, cancer-focused lab work, mentorship and career guidance. Its companion program, SPARK, adds 10 more students with a focus on stem cell biology, which plays a fundamental role in advancing our understanding of cancer development, progression and treatment.

Created and led by James Murphy, MD, associate director of cancer research education and training and co‑lead of the Cancer Research, Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) program at Moores Cancer Center, both programs give students a rare opportunity to explore biomedical science at a formative age.

“Education is one of the pillars of Moores Cancer Center, and high school is a pivotal time in students’ development,” Murphy said. “Engagement in those years can have a big impact on their life trajectory into a career in science and the field of oncology.”

Drawing from six San Diego high schools, the programs attract 300 to 400 applicants each year — a tenfold demand that reflects how deeply students value the chance to get a head start on a future in science and health care.

For those accepted, the results are striking: More than 95% of OPTIMUS and SPARK students go on to college, nearly all in STEM fields. These achievements stand well above the national college-going rate of about 62%, highlighting how targeted mentorship and hands-on research experiences can expand opportunities and change trajectories. About one-third of the programs’ students continue their studies right here at UC San Diego.

“California schools are well represented in where these students go to college, but we’re happiest when they come here,” Murphy said. “Especially as they move into our other pathway programs along the continuum of their educational journey.”

Creating Pathways, Expanding Opportunity

At the university level, the CREATE program ensures that talented students don’t lose momentum once they arrive on campus. This cross-institutional partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU) offers unique training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and even early-career faculty — from professional development and community engagement to one-on-one mentorship and funding for cancer-focused research.

By leveraging distinct resources from both UC San Diego and SDSU, this partnership makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts, resulting in impactful research, education and community outreach.

CREATE is currently co-led by Elena Martinez, PhD, associate director of population science at Moores Cancer Center, professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, and a leader in cancer disparities research. On the SDSU side, the program is led by Hala Madanat, PhD, vice president for research and innovation and Distinguished Professor of Public Health at SDSU.

Since the program’s founding more than 20 years ago, it has focused on expanding opportunity and representation in cancer science, building a more inclusive pathway for cancer professionals and ensuring that discoveries benefit all communities.

“Institutional partnerships like this between UC San Diego and SDSU don’t just happen,” Martinez said. “It takes years to reach the point where everyone is aligned to the mission. We’ve built the infrastructure to keep this pipeline running — but sustaining and growing it requires continued investment.”

Having helped hundreds of students from both universities pursue cancer research careers, CREATE has produced alumni who are now researchers, clinicians and faculty members across the region and beyond.

“Just as our early CREATE graduates are now leaders in their fields, sustaining these programs is crucial to ensure we have cancer research happening 5, 10, 20 years from now,” said Martinez.

Turning Research into Treatment

The newest link in the Moores Cancer Center education continuum is STEPP-ON-UP, a postbaccalaureate program launched in 2022 that gives recent college graduates a year of intensive training in both cancer research and clinical trials. Designed to bridge the gap between lab work and patient care, the program helps trainees see how discoveries turn into treatments that change lives.

“Research is so translational now,” said J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, associate director for basic science at Moores Cancer Center and chair of the Department of Pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “You must speak to both sides — the lab and the clinic. Being in a Comprehensive Cancer Center, our students can both work in research and shadow physicians to see how that research benefits patients. It gives them a real-world understanding of both sides of cancer research and care.”

In just over two years, STEPP-ON-UP has become a highly sought-after springboard into oncology and biomedical careers, drawing roughly 20 applicants for every available slot.

Recent graduate Lauren Bohall is just one of the many students who have benefited from the program.

“I gained hands-on experience learning laboratory techniques and contributing to multiple research projects, and even presented my work at several research conferences,” said Bohall. “Working with the Clinical Trials Office also provided valuable insight into the bench-to-bedside process.”

Successes like hers are what drive the program further. “We want to grow more every year,” said Gutkind. “The students want it, and we want to be able to support that demand.”

Impact Beyond Campus

The educational programs at Moores Cancer Center are more than student enrichment. They are vital to expanding the future of cancer care, both in our region and far beyond.

“One of our alumni started a program similar to OPTIMUS in Anchorage, Alaska, where he’s practicing radiation oncology,” Murphy said. “That’s the beauty of what we’re doing — not only are we supporting our students, but we’re training leaders who can carry this concept forward elsewhere.”

With dedicated leaders and programs that promote this cycle of mentorship and opportunity, Moores Cancer Center serves as a model for ensuring tomorrow’s cancer leaders are always in the making and ready to have an impact on patients’ lives.

Read the rest of the Moores Cancer Center FY25 Annual Report here!