Professional Development

Formally launched in 2016, the Professional Skills Development Program (PSDP) is designed to expose early career scholars and trainees in clinical translational science to the wide range of environmental and individual factors that contribute to a successful career. The primary objectives of the PSDP are to

• support the unique professional development needs of CTSA scholars at varying critical stages from medical school trainees to assistant professors.
• create a community experience for cohorts that encourages and fosters meaningful interaction with peers and program leadership.

The PSDP seeks to meet these objectives through interactive presentations, directed experiences, and facilitated discussions.  Participants are introduced to, and gain practice with, a wide range of skills and aptitudes demonstrated by effective leaders and professionals in academia, entrepreneurship, and professional and personal development.  Facilitators include ITMAT Education faculty leadership as well as topic experts from Penn, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the larger University of Pennsylvania community, industry, and other CTSA institutions.

The Multiple Layers of the PSDP

As a result, participants are able to identify resources, concepts, skills, and behaviors relevant to their work as clinicians, scientists, leaders and entrepreneurs. Following self-reflection, observation of examples in action, practical implementation and peer exchange, participants will be well positioned to implement their personal style in their daily work, no matter their current role or future professional pathway taken.

Sessions are reserved for MSTR and MSRS students, predoctoral TL1 and postdoctoral TL1 trainees, and KL2 scholars.

ITMAT Education provides statistical software workshops to the ITMAT Education learning community which includes students, alumni, and ITMAT members.

Stata Workshops

Dr. Andrew Cucchiara, PhD, leads Stata workshops for students to learn basic Stata programming and actively apply the software to existing data sets. The workshops present the content:

• In short video tutorials presenting core concepts and processes
• With hands-on learning opportunities through existing data sets
• In an online environment where learners engage in small groups

Bioinformatics Workshops

Dr. Benjamin Voight, PhD, leads bioinformatics software workshops to the ITMAT Education learning community which includes students, alumni, and ITMAT members. These workshops include:

• Python programming: bioinformatics analyses often require that students execute programs on the UNIX command line. If the data are large enough, this may require use of cluster computing to perform the task and manage the analysis. Moreover, there are specific tools available in the Python working environment that are extremely useful, e.g., scikit-learn for machine learning.
• R data science visualization: visualization of data and creating ‘display items of merit’ that are publication quality. Providing this workshop during the data exploration and analysis phase will be especially valuable. Having a code base for visualizations on processed data sets will help us meet reproducibility standards and save time. We will develop a workshop which introduces participants to ggplot2 / tidyverse, both very relevant R packages for data science and visualization. We also plan to deploy content into a library of online learning modules, which students could have ongoing access to and could self-teach.
• Technical reproducibility in R: with the assumption that analysis embedded in computer code should be technically reproducible, this workshop plans to introduce trainees to a range of tools and websites that provide this technical capability (github, Jupyter notebooks, R markdown, shiny apps, etc) and demonstrate how they can be used.

The workshops will present the content in short video tutorials presenting core concepts and processes, with hands-on learning opportunity through existing data sets, in an online learning environment where learners engage in small groups.

Learners will have the option to enroll in MTR 535 Intro to Bioinformatics in Spring 2021.

As a collaborative initiative between the Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), the Abramson Cancer Center, and Oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is honored to be one of four institutions selected to host a short course education opportunity for junior faculty within the NCI Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC).

Building on a history of success in both cell and gene therapies at Penn and CHOP, our UE5 short course focuses on providing NCI young investigator awardees with a comprehensive background in the latest scientific, translational, clinical, regulatory, and commercial advances of cell and gene therapy so that they are equipped with the knowledge to translate research findings into successful cancer therapies.

The course integrates and expands on an existing foundation of related educational programs and experienced faculty-educators at Penn and CHOP. It covers in modular format the foundations, preclinical tools, and protocols for biomanufacturing as well as intellectual property, regulatory compliance, clinical trial design, and systemic challenges in collaborative science.

Visit the NASDC consortium homepage to learn more about course dates and the application process.

Penn UE5 Leadership & Contributing Faculty

Contributing faculty to the Penn UE5 are pioneers in the field of cell and gene therapy across the translational spectrum, from discovery to the first FDA approvals of both cell and gene therapy products, and have been responsible for major advances at Penn, CHOP, the Abramson Cancer Center and globally. In addition to basic scientists, the faculty includes experts and specialists in areas key to translating immunobiology into clinical trials, including specialists in translational and clinical research, biomarker characterization for cell and gene therapy, regulatory science, and commercial collaboration.

Contact

General inquiries regarding the Penn UE5 may be sent to Cauleen Noël, Staff Lead for the Abramson Cancer Center’s Research Education and Training component. All inquiries regarding the application and selection process may be submitted directly to the NASDC Consortium.

 

PIs and Course Directors

Elizabeth O. Hexner, MD, MSTR

Dr. Hexner is a hematologist with an interest in gene modified cellular therapy, hematologic malignancies, and graduate education. She serves as Medical Director for the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Director of the Penn MPN program, and Associate Director for the Masters in Translational Research program at the University of Pennsylvania.

David A. Mankoff, MD, PhD

Dr. Mankoff’s contribution is within context of his role as the Associate Director of Education and Training for the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) to help direct and coordinate education resources to support the short course. He is highly recognized for his expertise in the area of cell and gene therapy as both a translational cancer-focused investigator and leader in a number of Penn education programs directed toward postdoctoral fellows, GME trainees, and junior faculty.

Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD

Dr. Grupp is a world authority on the development and clinical application of CAR T cells and other engineered cell therapies, having led the registration trial for Kymriah, the first CAR T product.

Andrew Fesnak, MD

Dr. Fesnak is the Director of Manufacturing in the Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility as well as Director of Regulatory Education programs at Penn, and is an educator in the field of cell therapy.

Advanced Therapies Intensive – September 2022

The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with King’s Health Partners and King’s College London is offering, for the second time, a one-week transatlantic educational experience for trainees focused on the development of novel therapeutics. The intensive is led by Emma Meagher, MD from Penn, Anne Greenough, MD from KCL, and Francesco Dazzi, MD, PhD from KCL. The week will include presentations with expert faculty and small group learning activities.

Dates and Location

• Monday, September 12 – Friday, September 16, 2022
• 8-12pm EST; 1-5pm BST (Except Friday, 9/16  – time extends by 30 mins)
• Online, Asynchronous and Synchronous

About the Intensive

This one-week global intensive provides MD and PhD participants, including PhD Candidates, from the University of Pennsylvania and King’s Health Partners with an overview of developing novel therapeutics. Topics include stem cells and regenerative medicine, clinical trial ethics, cell therapies and gene editing, a roadmap to initiating translation, and a roadmap to commercialization. Participants are introduced to these topics through asynchronous and synchronous learning environments. The content of the intensive includes seminars, case studies, group projects, and journal article-reviews.

Upon completion of the intensive, the participants should be able to:

• Recognize the cutting-edge science underpinning the development of novel therapeutics
• Assess the complex regulatory landscape for development of cells for medical treatment
• Apply approaches to the ethical design and implementation of advanced therapy clinical trials
• Determine the importance of producing credible business plans for the application of cellular therapies

Eligibility

• MDs, PhDs, and PhD candidates (who have progressed in their studies beyond their prelim examination) at Penn, CHOP, KHP, KCL who are interested in developing novel therapies
• Participants must commit to full attendance and complete all assignments, inclusive of pre-readings, in advance of synchronous sessions
• Eight US and eight UK participants will be selected

Apply by May 13, 2022

Materials required for a complete application include an application form which requires the submission of a CV and a ​​​​​​recorded 5-minute elevator pitch briefly introducing yourself, describing your background, why you are interested in this intensive, and how you believe it will further your learning and career goals. See the attached Guide to Recording and Submitting Your Pitch in Zoom.

Click here to submit an online application.

There is no cost associated with this program.

Contact

For questions related to the intensive, contact Jessica German at jbgerman@upenn.edu

Intensive Spotlights

2021 KHP News Articles:

• Students praise Advanced Therapies Intensive Course as ‘a rare opportunity’
• Further praise for the Advanced Therapies Intensive Course

Photos of the Inaugural Cohort

An Interdisciplinary Training Program in Entrepreneurship and Translational Research for Alzheimer’s Disease and AD Related Disorders

Program Overview

I2SEED is an entrepreneurship focused education program which provides training to help develop and commercialize diagnostic, supportive or therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer’s Disease and AD Related Disorders (ADRD).

Participants who complete this program will gain the skills necessary to successfully submit a highly competitive NIA SBIR or STTR grant. We also offer sustained engagement and support to assist with a resubmission, if necessary. The ultimate goal of this program is to maximize the likelihood that participants will be able to obtain seed funding through a combination of SBIR/STTR grant(s) and investor funding so that trainees can successfully transition to a funded career path that focuses on moving ADRD research from the bench to the bedside via a successful business plan.

This program is designed for pre- and post-doctoral trainees interested in exploring opportunities to commercialize ADRD diagnostics/therapeutics/devices

• Pre-doctoral trainees must be enrolled in a Master’s level or higher degree program
• Post-doctoral trainees must have completed a PhD, MD, DDS, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign academic institution

Five to ten trainees will be enrolled in the program each year and expected to participate in the program for two years (approximately 2-8 hours per week). This program is funded by the NIA and available at no cost to trainees.