Abstract A168: Building research capacity: Outcomes from the Research Education Program on Microbes, Infections, and Cancer (REPMIC)

Abstract Background: The Research Education Program on Microbes, Infections, and Cancer (REPMIC) is a 37-week program (September-June) designed to enhance the academic and research capacity of recent college graduates in Puerto Rico (PR). Through mentored hands-on research, seminars, career development workshops, and a graduate-level course the program aims to prepare future researchers focused on the links between microbes, infections, and cancer. This abstract describes the outcomes of the program’s first cohort. Methods: To evaluate the impact of REPMIC on participants’ research development, we assessed changes in self-reported experience, confidence, and perceived success across key research domains. To achieve this, baseline and exit survey results from the 2024-2025 REPMIC cohort (n=10) were compared. Participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire at the beginning and end of the program, rating their experience, confidence, and perceived success in domains such as scientific writing, data analysis, research leadership, and communication. A 5-point Likert scale (1= not at all experienced/confident/successful; 5= extremely experienced/confident/successful) was used to quantify perceptions. Descriptive statistics and the proportion of participants selecting the highest score (5) were calculated. Results: Findings indicate improvement across multiple research competencies. At program entry, only 40% of trainees felt very confident working on a research project; by the end of REPMIC, this increased to 90%. Perceived success in other areas also grew considerably: writing scientific reports increased from 20% to 70%, presenting to scientific audiences from 10% to 80%, interpreting data from 10% to 70%, and leading a research project from 0% to 40%. Notably, while only two participants had previously presented a scientific poster, all ten had successfully done so by program completion, presenting at both local forums and national conferences. In total, participants submitted 16 abstracts and presented their work at scientific meetings across Puerto Rico and the United States. Qualitative feedback highlighted REPMIC’s role in helping students clarify academic goals, strengthen research skills, and enhance competitiveness for graduate admission. By the end of the program, 50% had applied to graduate or professional schools, all of whom received at least one offer of admission, and 40% continued conducting cancer research. Discussion: REPMIC is the first post-baccalaureate program in PR with a specific focus on research at the intersection of microbes, infection, and cancer. The program enhanced participants’ confidence, experience, and perceived success in essential research domains. It’s structure, centered on mentored research, skill-building, and academic exposure, contributes to expanding access, strengthen representation, and cultivating future leaders in the cancer research workforce. Acknowledgments: This project is funded by the National Institute of Allergy Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Grant #1R25AI183304-01. IRB approval: 2409000844. Citation Format: Tanialy Rivera-Santiago, Marievelisse Soto-Salgado, Lizbeth Medina Cortes, Ana Patricia. Ortiz. Building research capacity: Outcomes from the Research Education Program on Microbes, Infections, and Cancer (REPMIC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A168.