News & Events

Applications are now being accepted on a rolling basis for a new cancer research training and career program at the University of Illinois Cancer Center for post-baccalaureate scholars, funded by a $660,000 grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The Advancing Urban Students in Medicine (AUSM) Post-Baccalaureate Program is a two-year certificate program for four trainees from varied backgrounds who have earned their bachelor’s degrees and want to pursue a doctoral degree in a science discipline, public health, or healthcare profession. AUSM will prepare them for competitive graduate and professional programs and for careers in cancer research.

AUSM at a Glance

• Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until all available spots are filled, with a final application deadline of Monday, January 4, 2027. Early application is encouraged, as the program may reach capacity before the deadline. 
• Commitment: Two-year, full-time program; Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with occasional weekend activities
• Program Start Date: Summer 2027 (exact date to be announced)
• Annual Stipend: $35,000

The addition of AUSM expands the reach of the Cancer Center's Office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC), which runs a robust slate of cancer research training and education programs for students from high school through early-career faculty.

The CRTEC team, under the leadership of Associate Director Larisa Nonn, PhD, and Director Ifeanyi Beverly Chukwudozie, MBA, MPH, designed the program, and the grant's Principal Investigator is CRTEC Early Pathway Lead Paul Grippo, PhD, a Cancer Center member in the Cancer Biology Research Program.

The program was funded by the ACS Center for Innovation in Cancer Research Training (CICRT) Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Grant.