Date Completed: 3/26/09
Faculty Name: Gary Cutter
UAB Department: Biostatistics
UAB School: Public Health
Campus Address: Ryals 414B
Campus Zip: 0022
Telephone: 934-5048
Email Address: cutterg@prodigy.net
Office Fax: 975-2541
Research Program Area: Cancer Chemoprevention
Project Title: What we knew that worked that didn't
Project Status: About to begin
Proposed Start Date: April 13
Proposed End Date: August 28
Number of Weeks of Internship: 16
Number of Interns: 1
Other faculty, staff, or graduate students who may help supervise intern: Other faculty in my Section and/or Grad students; Robert Kleinstein, O.D.
Expected Number of Work Hours Per Week: Negotiable
Expected Work Schedule for Intern: Flexible, intern can largely set his or her own schedule
Number of hours that preceptor will personally supervise or work with intern: 1-2
Category of Research: Analytical/Statistical Research
Cancer Research: Multiple Cancer Sites
Project Description: This project is to collect data on the history and evolution of cancer prevention approaches that ultimately have been rejected. Historically and increasingly there is more and more hype about what we should do to prevent cancer and yet, with each successive trial more and more approaches are rejected. This project will study (either by investigation of a few cancer sites or by agents touted for multiple sites) common evolution of the evidence for success and ultimately look to see if there are commonalities in this evidence that has led us astray.
Intern's Anticipated Duties:
Duty 1: Identify the approach as to whether investigating a few cancer sites (i.e. primary prevention in breast cancer or prostate cancer) is more digestible or whether a focus on a few agents (i.e. vitamin E or selenium) is a more prudent path.
Duty 2: Do a comprehensive literature search (via Pubmed, Cochrane Library, etc.) to compile the literature base.
Duty 3: Perform an integrative literature review to assess common themes that may have led to exuberance and failure (i.e. too many mice and rat studies, poor epidemiological studies, etc.)
Preceptor will provide intern with access to the following: computer and printer; supplies neeeded to complete the project; equipment needed to complete the project
Likelihood of authoring publications: Very Likely
Background, education, experience, or expertise preferred: Epidemiologic Methods; Nutrition Sciences; Literature Review Skills; Scientific Writing Skills; Basic Knowledge of Statistics and Data Management
This faculty member has been a CaRES Preceptor for one summer.
Intern 1: Hang Le