Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Education & Training

T32 Postdoctoral Training in Translational Breast Cancer Research

This postdoctoral training offers Ph.D. and M.D. fellows a focused program in molecular biology of breast cancer directed toward translational goals. The program brings together mentors with expertise in hormonal regulation; signal transduction; cell cycle controls; cell structure and motility; immune regulation; and experimental therapeutics related to breast cancer.

Many of our faculty members have extensive track records in clinically focused molecular mechanistic approaches. The program offers training in basic science expertise which is complemented by mentoring input and clinical translational collaborations with physician scientists. The program is led by Joyce M. Slingerland, M.D., FRCP, Ph.D., director, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester, and Zafar Nawaz, Ph.D., associate research director, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester.

Research into the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer at the Braman Institute is organized around three central research themes. The T32 faculty all contribute to one or more of these three areas of breast cancer research: 1) steroid hormone receptors, transcription and endocrine therapy; 2) signaling to breast cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle, motility and metastasis; 3) experimental therapeutics.

Theme 1: Steroid Hormone Receptors, Transcription and Endocrine Therapy

  • Nanette Bishopric, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.H.A.: Director, UM/MHRI Cardiovascular Genomics Laboratory; Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: p300 regulation of growth and differentiation in mammary epithelium and cancer.
  • Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D.: Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: Mechanism of signaling cross talk with steroid hormones.
  • Dorraya El-Ashry, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Medicine
  • Research interest: Estrogen action and growth factor initiated signal transduction in breast cancer progression and mechanisms of anti-estrogen resistance.
  • Ralf Langraf, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Research interest: HER/cErbB signaling in breast cancer.
  • Zafar Nawaz, Ph.D.: Associate Research Director, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester, Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Research interest: Steroid receptors & coactivator function in normal and malignant tissues.
  • Joyce M. Slingerland, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P©: Director, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester, Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Research interest: Mechanism of antiestrogen resistance, ER cross talk with Src signaling.

Theme 2: Signaling to Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation, Cell Cycle, Motility, Metastasis

  • Glen Barber, Ph.D.: Professor of Medicine, Eugenia J. Dodson Chair in Cancer Research, and Associate Director of Basic Science
  • Research interest: Virus-based oncolytic approaches for cancer therapy
  • Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D.: Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: Regulation of the cell cycle and Cdk2 localization by Vitamin D.
  • Kermit Carraway, Ph.D.: Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy
  • Research interest: MUC4/ErbB2 signal transduction in mammary epithelium and cancer
  • David Helfman, Ph.D.: Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy
  • Research interest: Actomyosin signaling to cell shape, proliferation, motility, and metastasis in breast cancer.
  • Gennaro D’Urso, Ph.D.: Professor of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: DNA damage/ DNA replication cell cycle checkpoints from yeast to humans.
  • Joyce M. Slingerland, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P©: Director, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Research interest: How oncogenic signaling via P13K and Ras/ MAPK modulates cell cycle regulators.
  • Fulvia Verde, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: Signaling to cell morphogenesis in breast development and malignancy.

Theme 3: Experimental Therapeutics

  • Dorraya El-Ashry, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Medicine
  • Research interest: Novel therapeutics in breast cancer.
  • T.K. Harris, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Research interest: Structure-based approaches to anti-cancer drug development.
  • Diana Lopez, Ph.D.: Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
  • Research interest: Cell mediated immunity and novel immunotherapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
  • Mark Pegram, M.D.: Associate Director of Clinical and Translational Research, Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Professor of Medicine
  • Research interest: Development of novel therapeutics aimed to combat breast cancer.
  • Joseph D. Rosenblatt, M.D.: Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research at Sylvester, Professor of Medicine
  • Research interest: Modulation of anti-tumor immune responses and immunotherapy of cancer.
  • Keith Webster, Ph.D.: Director of the Miami Vascular Biology Institute, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
  • Research interest: Experimental therapeutics based on apoptosis induction in hypoxic cancer cells.

Goals For Trainees

  • Provide trainees with a solid background in the modern molecular biology of breast cancer;
  • Expose post-PhDs to state-of-the-art breast cancer care and post-MDs to mechanistic research;
  • Expand trainees’ abilities to solving scientific problems;
  • Guide trainees in the production of original, cutting-edge research;
  • Focus trainees on the use of state-of-the-art research techniques in a clinically relevant fashion;
  • Mentor trainees to become responsible professional scientists.

Trainees also will be exposed to basic science, clinical, and translational aspects of breast cancer through our seminars and meetings:

  • Breast Journal Club (monthly)
  • Braman Institute Research Data Reviews (bi-weekly)
  • Post-doctoral seminar series (monthly)
  • Molecular Mechanisms of Breast Cancer grant workshop (monthly, with all PIs and post-docs at the Braman Institute)
  • Breast Cancer Site Disease Group multidisciplinary meetings (bi-weekly clinical review)
  • Invited expert breast cancer research seminar series (monthly outside speaker seminars)
  • Presentation of work at annual Braman Institute breast cancer retreat and at international meetings
  • Ethics seminar series of the Miller School of Medicine (monthly)

Training Fellowship Highlights

  • Two years minimum
  • NIH stipend guidelines
  • Competitive benefits
  • Attendance at scientific meeting

Requirements

  • Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
  • Must be recent M.D./Ph.D. with no more than four years post graduate degree

How to Apply

Please send your letter of interest reflecting your commitment to breast cancer, CV, and three references to:

Kathy Salce
Sylvester Office of Education and Training
P.O. Box 0191332 (M-877)
Miami, FL 33101
Phone: 305-243-2287
Fax: 305-243-1855
Email: ksalce@med.miami.edu

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