From Imaging to Impact: A Multi-Disciplinary T32 Program Framework and Initial Insights for Training in Image-Guided Cancer Therapy

As multi-disciplinary image-guided assessment and therapies become increasingly important for precision oncology, the need for comprehensive training opportunities that effectively prepare the next generation of clinician-scientists and scientists is evident. We present an innovative, evidence-based research training framework that integrates the following critical features: 1) intentional and personalized mentoring and career development, 2) immersive research in image-guided cancer therapy, 3) strategic mentored clinical exposure, 4) structured didactic learning and professional development opportunities, and 5) mentored grant writing. Designed to foster scientific rigor, translational thinking, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, the Image-Guided Cancer Therapy T32 Training Program (IGCT-T32) aims to prepare postdoctoral fellows from MD, MD/PhD, and PhD backgrounds for successful careers in image-guided cancer therapy research. Additionally, we describe programmatic enhancements driven by trainee feedback, including improved flexibility and customization of training plans, and the establishment of an open-access educational repository, enabling on-demand access to didactic learning materials. Through this repository, IGCT-T32 can broadly disseminate educational resources, allowing learners and educators beyond the program to integrate these critical resources into their own training in image-guided cancer therapy. Preliminary data from the initial program trainee cohort (n=3) indicates strong research productivity, with trainees averaging 3.2 presentations and 1.8 invited talks per year in training. When compared with non-T32 peers, IGCT-T32 trainees published substantially more first and co-authored peer-reviewed manuscripts, averaging 1.6 vs. 0.36 first authored manuscripts per trainee for each year in training and 6.0 vs. 0.26 co-authored manuscripts per trainee for each year in training, respectively. IGCT-T32 fellows published 77.1% of their peer-reviewed manuscripts in top quartile journals in their fields compared with only 55.6% of manuscripts from their non-T32 peers. Further, IGCT-T32 trainees were ~10% more likely to utilize preprints (such MedRxiv) for early dissemination of research. Together, these data provide promising early indicators of the effectiveness of the IGCT-T32 training program and its design. We offer here a descriptive framework for the development of training curricula in image-guided cancer therapy that could be adapted for other sites and stakeholders. While preliminary insights into program effectiveness are promising, continued evaluation and longitudinal data are needed with additional trainees to fully access its impact and generalizability.