Training & Education

Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC)

The University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center supports multidisciplinary education and training in the context of CU Cancer Center’s research and clinical mission through the development of novel programs, active participation in the training of mentees across a broad spectrum of educational stages including middle and high school students, undergraduates, post-baccalaureates, graduate students, medical students, residents, and fellows. We also provide career development activities for junior faculty (referred to as Mentored Members) and cancer-focused educational and training activities for cancer center members. 

We place a major emphasis on the integration of training and education activities with cutting-edge basic, population, and clinical cancer research undertakings. Furthermore, in close collaboration with the CU Cancer Center Community Engagement and Outreach Office, we put a unique focus on including and recruiting individuals who have experienced a lack of access in education and training activities.

Mission, Vision, & Goals

Mission

Serve and improve the care of cancer patients by fostering the careers of cancer care providers, new investigators, and aspiring young scientists in cancer research, population science, and clinical care.

Vision

Educating and training the next generation of innovative leaders in translational, basic, clinical, and population science-related cancer research will conquer cancer.

Our Goals

Training & Education Opportunities

Training & Education Latest News

CU Cancer Center’s Education Programs Helped Fahiima Abdullahi Prepare for a Career as a Physician-Scientist

As she begins her time in the University of Colorado Cancer Center’s PIKE-PREP research training program for post-baccalaureate students this month, Fahiima Abdullahi is taking another step in a mentoring journey that goes back to her days as an undergraduate at CU Denver. 

“I've always been interested in science and medicine, but I didn't really solidify that interest until early in undergrad, when I did a summer internship program on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus,” says Abdullahi, who grew up in Englewood, Colorado. “That’s where I first got paired with Dr. Mercedes Rincon, who introduced me to the MD-PhD program, which is something I didn't even know existed. She also educated me about other programs and opportunities available to me, and she even paired me with some doctors to shadow. That really solidified my interest in medicine.”

Read more here.

Post-Baccalaureate Researcher Receives Grant for Investigation of Obesity in Pancreatic Cancer

Fueled by a $10,000 Creative Collisions Pilot Grant from the University of Colorado Cancer Center’s Tumor Host Interactions Program (THI) and the mentorship of two cancer center investigators, Migachelle Romano is starting her cancer research career with a bang. Romano is a trainee in the CU Cancer Center’s ASCENT program, a two-year mentoring and research training experience for post-baccalaureate students who want to apply to an PhD or MD-PhD program and commit to a cancer research career.

Her THI-funded research project, “Investigating how Obesity-Driven Inflammation Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression,” is co-led by CU Cancer Center member Carlo Marchetti, PhD, assistant professor of medical oncology in the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, and Curtis Henry, PhD, deputy associate director in the cancer center’s Office of Faculty and Staff Relations.

“Migachelle is a good researcher — passionate and very motivated,” Marchetti says. “She started the program with not much experience, and in these two years, she has learned a lot, not just from a technical point of view, but also thinking scientifically. She has a bright career ahead of her.”

Read more here.

LaCOTA Travel Award Recipients Present at Oncology National Conferences in Fall 2025

This fall, two CU-SOM medical students received an amazing opportunity to present their cancer research nationally via the LaCamera Oncology Travel Awards (LaCOTA), thanks to funds generously donated by the LaCamera family specifically to support oncology training of CU-SOM medical students.

LaCOTA awards provided funding support for these medical scientists in training to present their research and participate in professional development activities at oncology-focused national conferences.

The two students who received the award in Fall 2025 were Gabriella Canty and Robert Stegman.

• Gabriella Canty, mentored by Dr. Sarah Tevis, gave a poster presentation of her project titled, “Domain Specific Quality of Life Changes Before and Beyond Breast Cancer Treatment” at the 2025 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress and Scientific Forum, in Chicago, Illinois.
• Robert Stegman, mentored by Dr. Leigh Casadaban, gave an oral presentation of his project titled, “Surgical and Pathologic Outcomes of Liver Tumors Following Liver Resection or Transplant after Yttrium-90 Radioembolization” at the Southeastern Angiographic Society (SEAS) Annual Meeting, in Durham, North Carolina.

Cancer Innovation Pilot Grant Awardees for 2025

The Cancer Innovation Pilot Grants provide research funding to support the career development of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees and early-career faculty. These grants are evaluated via a competitive peer-review process in the NIH style.

This year, the applications were of exceptionally high quality. We were especially impressed by the thoughtfulness and depth demonstrated across the board. Please join us in congratulating the 2025-2026 Cancer Innovation Pilot Grant Awardees (pictured below)

Learn more about the Innovation Pilot Grant Program.

BEST in Class: Teachers Trained to Bring Cutting-Edge Labs to Students

Summer Program Finale

ASCENT Scholar Highlight: Migachelle B. Romano

Exploring the Link Between Obesity and Pancreatic Cancer Progression

Migachelle B. Romano, a post-baccalaureate research trainee in the ASCENT program at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, has received a $10,000 Creative Collisions Pilot Grant through the Tumor Host Interactions (THI) Program to investigate a critical aspect of pancreatic cancer. Her project, titled “Investigating how Obesity-Driven Inflammation Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression,” is co-led by Dr. Carlo Marchetti and Dr. Curtis Henry, with additional support from the American Cancer Society ASCENT Post-Baccalaureate Program.

The project focuses on understanding how obesity, particularly visceral fat, triggers immune dysfunction in pancreatic cancer. Specifically, the team is examining the role of a protein complex called NLRP3, which drives inflammation. Their goal is to determine whether NLRP3 activation under obese conditions contributes to cancer progression and impaired T-cell function—key challenges that limit effective treatment options.

Romano is proud to have generated compelling preliminary data demonstrating that signals from adipose tissue can increase pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. This finding not only supports the original hypothesis but also laid the groundwork for a second pilot grant proposal exploring how fat-derived signals might induce autophagy, a process that helps cancer cells survive. This progression marks a significant milestone in her growth as a developing scientist.

The broader impact of this work could be profound. Obesity is a well-established risk factor for pancreatic cancer, and patients with obesity often face worse outcomes and fewer treatment options. By uncovering how fat tissue influences tumor behavior, Romano’s research aims to inform more targeted therapies tailored to this high-risk population, ultimately improving survival rates and outcomes.

Beyond the science, Romano emphasizes the personal and equitable dimensions of her research. As a first-generation immigrant and aspiring physician-scientist, she is motivated to pursue work that addresses cancer disparities and improves care for underserved communities, blending scientific discovery with a commitment to equity.

Another Successful Session of C2R2 (Cancer Center Research Rangers)

The Cancer Center hosted 5th-grade students from the Challenge Foundation Summer Program. After lunch, students participated in hands-on stations that taught them about cells—where they even examined their own cheek cells—how to protect themselves from skin cancer, the effects of smoking on lung health, and a close-up look at brain health and development. Challenge Foundation counselors Fatima Garcia and Hernaldo Piñon assisted with the activities. CRTEC also thanks Dr. Kristin Schaller of the Verneris Lab for partnering to provide students with this engaging introduction to cancer science.

Learn About Cancer Day, Spring 2025

On April 18, 2025, we hosted 39 local high school students to help them learn more about cancer research and cancer-related careers. Following a presentation titled ‘Why We Hate Cancer’ by Richard Schulick, MD, students learned about different types of cancer, health disparities, and everyday prevention activities. Afterward, students toured multiple cancer-research laboratories as well as shared resource facilities, where they learned about innovative technology, cutting-edge research, and cancer-related careers. It was a day filled with educational opportunities for students to connect their understanding of science to the latest advancements in research happening right here at the CU Cancer Center.

Read more about the students’ experiences here.