NCI Early-Stage Surgeon Scientist Program (ESSP)
Martha A. Zeiger, MD, FACS
Staff Clinician, Surgical Oncology Program
Center for Cancer Research
The NCI Early-Stage Surgeon Scientist Program (ESSP) is designed to train surgeon scientists and retain them in cancer research by supporting a program focused on cancer-related disease and basic/translational research. This program aims to bring together surgeon scientists from across the United States and build cohorts that will be trained together for up to three years per cohort. The ESSP participants will be funded through an administrative supplement to the grantee’s NCI-designated Cancer Center Support Grant (P30) or Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (CPACHE; U54) to one of the institutions serving underserved health disparity populations and underrepresented students (ISUPSs). NCI Intramural surgeon scientists may also apply to participate in the program.
This 5-year pilot program will support early-career surgeon scientist program participants, each of whom will receive three years of funding in three cohorts, staggered a year apart. Each cohort will be comprised of primarily extramural surgeons. Only one candidate per P30, one ISUPS candidate per CPACHE U54 Program, and one candidate per intramural NCI Lab/Branch may be nominated to apply by the Center/Division director or Branch Chief per cohort.
Participants in the ESSP will be selected via a competitive process after submitting an administrative supplement application for a P30 or U54 grant. Eligible extramural surgeon scientists may be nominated and apply by responding to the NIH Guide Notice NOT-CA-21-100 and NCI intramural surgeon scientists may be nominated and apply by submitting application materials outlined in NOT-CA-21-100 via email to NCICCT@mail.nih.gov.
NCI ESSP Program Pre-Application Webinar
Recording and slides from the webinar held on Monday, September 11, 2023.
Where surgeon investigators who will change the world are created.
Congratulations to the 2024 ESSP Cohort of Surgeon Scientists!
Resources
- NCI-designated Cancer Center Support Grant (P30)
- Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (CPACHE; U54)
- Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
For General Inquiries:
The Program Director for the ESSP
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Email: ncicct@mail.nih.gov
*If you have specific questions related to the P30 CCSG or U54 CPACHE Awards, please contact the Program Director of record.