Postdoctoral Education

The Cancer Biology Training Program (CBTP) at the University of Nebraska provides postdoctoral fellows with excellent training in cancer research. As a group, our faculty has a wide variety of expertise in areas essential for a broad-based training in cancer biology. This includes faculty members with strengths in biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, structural biology, genetics, immunology, organic and medicinal chemistry, pathology, drug delivery, pharmacology, and clinical oncology. Research interests of individual faculty members may be found on our faculty page.

The Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, which sponsors and administers the CBTP, is an academic and degree granting unit of the University of Nebraska Medical Center with its primary focus on cancer research (both basic and translational). Currently, over 40 faculty members participate in the CBTP. Twenty five have their primary appointment in the Eppley Institute and 17 have their primary appointment in other departments at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. As such, the CBTP is a campus-wide program that supports and promotes cancer research at this medical center at all levels.

The Eppley Institute is a major component of the NCI-designated UNMC Eppley Cancer Center. The Eppley Institute has been the recipient of a both an NCI-supported training grant in Cancer Biology and an NCI-supported Cancer Center Support Grant for over 20 years. The UNMC Eppley Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated Cancer Center in a five state region from North Dakota to Oklahoma and one of only 61 nationally. Hence, the Eppley Institute and the CBTP play an important role in training future basic and clinical scientists for a large region of the United States. The Eppley Institute has excellent research support from a variety of sources including NIH, American Cancer Society, and State of Nebraska Cancer and Smoking Disease Research Program

Training
In addition to laboratory research, our postdoctoral fellows attend weekly seminars sponsored by different departments at the medical center, including Eppley Institute seminars and monthly Cancer Center Grand Rounds given by speakers from other universities and research centers around the world. Our postdoctoral fellows also attend the annual Short Course in Cancer Biology, sponsored by the Eppley Institute. During this two day symposium, four experts from around the world each present two hour research presentations related to a specific area of cancer research, followed by in-depth discussion periods. For more information on the short course and the topics covered go to Short Course in Cancer Biology.

To promote the careers of our postdoctoral fellows, we provide our fellows the opportunity to meet with visiting faculty. Additionally, postdoctoral fellows are strongly encouraged to present their own research during our Graduate Student/Postdoctoral Fellow Research Forum. This is a requirement of all postdoctoral fellows supported by our NCI-supported training grant. Postdoctoral fellows supported by the training grant are also expected to attend the lectures given in our Cancer Biology course, which is scheduled each year. This course provides a comprehensive overview of basic and translational cancer research. Postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to attend workshops and symposia sponsored by the Eppley Institute and the University of Nebraska dealing with a range of topics, including: grant writing, career planning, laboratory management skills and responsibilities.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has excellent core facilities, which are available to all faculty, students and postdoctoral fellows. These facilities include X-ray crystallography, NMR, Mass Spectrometry, DNA sequencing, Molecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Histology, Cell Analysis, Monoclonal Antibodies, Tissue Procurement, Confocal Microscopy, IVIS Animal Imaging, Genome-wide siRNA Screening and Genome Engineering (mouse transgenic and knockout) core facilities. More information about the core facilities at the University of Nebraska Medical Center can be found here.

Salary and Benefits

To assist postdoctoral fellows when they first arrive at this medical center, a UNMC Post Doc Handbook is available on-line. In most cases, the salaries of our postdoctoral fellows follow the NIH guidelines, which increase yearly in accordance with the number of years of research experience after receiving the doctoral degree. Other benefit information, including vacation and sick leave, can be found in the UNMC Post Doc Handbook. Because housing is relatively inexpensive in Omaha, salaries of our postdoctoral fellows are highly competitive nationally. In addition, living in Omaha has many other benefits, including a wide range of outside activities. Information about Omaha can be found here.

Annual Award for Excellence in Research
Each year, postdoctoral fellows who participate in the Cancer Biology Training Program can compete for annual travel awards based on excellence in Cancer Research. Three prizes ($1,500, $1,000 and $500) are awarded yearly.

Positions Available

If you are a US citizen or a permanent resident and interested in one of the postdoctoral positions supported by our NCI-Cancer Biology Training Grant please email Matt Winfrey for more information. One may also contact individual faculty regarding postdoctoral positions that may be open in their laboratories.

Additional Details
For additional details regarding postdoctoral training in the Cancer Biology Training Program, please email Matt Winfrey.