Background
The mission of the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) is to eliminate breast cancer by leading innovation in research, communication, and collaboration in the California scientific and lay communities. Since its founding in 1993, with the passage of the Breast Cancer Act by the California legislature, the program has worked towards the goals of funding innovative research, facilitating dissemination of research findings and promoting their translation into public health practices. Funded primarily by a California state tax on tobacco, the CBCRP has awarded 803 grants totaling over $189 million in research funds to investigators throughout California.
Awards are granted in a spectrum of disciplines addressing the many facets of breast cancer, including basic and clinical sciences, public health, and social sciences. The CBCRP award portfolio is comprised of a number of different award types, among them the career development awards. Career development awards, including the Dissertation Award and the Postdoctoral Fellowship, are designed to encourage the training of California’s best young scientists in the field of breast cancer research. The Postdoctoral Fellowship Award is designed to support fellows, including graduate students having recently completed their Ph.D.’s, physicians continuing research activity, and individuals in transition to breast cancer research from another field to obtain their postdoctoral training under a designated mentor in the field of breast cancer research.
Since 1995 the CBCRP has granted 161 Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards totaling an investment of over $11.3 million, 6% of total funding and 20% of all grants given. Awards are granted for a maximum duration of three years and a maximum cap of $45,000 per year. The awards have no stipulation as to the applicant’s citizenship or nationality, but research supported must be performed at an institute within the state of California. Additionally, applicants are expected to be working under the guidance of a mentor who is an established breast cancer researcher and who is required to include a breast cancer-focused training plan as part of the award application. The goal of the award is to support the training and career development of future breast cancer scientists.
In 2001 the CBCRP evaluation staff performed the first evaluation study of the postdoctoral fellowship awards, including awards from cycles I-IV (1995- 1998). This study clearly demonstrated the success of the postdoctoral fellowship award in contributing to the training of future breast cancer scientists, with two thirds of respondents still involved in breast cancer research. Additionally, a majority of respondents said that receipt of the CBCRP award allowed them to pursue work relevant to breast cancer that they would not otherwise have been able to pursue. Respondents credited the fellowship award with major career gains such as recognition and independence as a researcher, and half of them felt their fellowship helped them gain a faculty position in research. The respondents also proved to be very productive, averaging almost 3 papers each with over 80% of then having published at least one paper. Furthermore, they were able to leverage each dollar the CBCRP invested for $3.05 additional dollars for breast cancer research from several funders. This evaluation will build on the previous study, allowing us to broaden our understanding of the outcomes of the CBCRP postdoctoral fellowship.
