CRTEC

A Grant of One’s Own is designed for cancer‑focused MDs, MD-PhDs, and PhDs whose research bridges science and patient care and who need structured, flexible support for writing an early‑career grant or fellowship. If you have an idea or an existing draft and limited time for formal workshops, this self‑paced course guides you step by step from concept to complete proposal.

There are six modules and each module combines brief lessons, examples, and videos with guided prompts, assignments, and downloadable worksheets that you can use on your own or with your PI, mentors, and peers. Additional resources and sample materials help you move from ideas to polished drafts.

Please reach out to Jelena Patrnogić, PhD with any questions.

A Grant of One’s Own is a collaborative, interactive grant-writing course designed to help you develop a complete, competitive research proposal by the end of the program. Targeted toward MDs, MD-PhDs, and PhDs focused on translational cancer research, this course guides you step-by-step through the process of preparing your first proposal and lays the foundation for future funding success. Offered annually between January - June, this course is designed and facilitated by our dedicated Curriculum Team as a cornerstone resource for the development of your research career.

Course Features

• Flipped Classroom Format: Access curated materials and resources outside of class. Scheduled group meetings focus on discussion, feedback, and moving your project forward.
• Small Groups with Peer Collaboration, Guided by Mentors: Each participant is matched with a small group of peers. Faculty mentors facilitate sessions where you work together, offering each other feedback and critique as you build your proposal draft by draft.
• Supportive Community: Develop a network of peers and mentors to share ideas, provide feedback, and grow together – fostering relationships that support your long-term success.
• Mock Study Section: At the course’s conclusion, your proposal will be reviewed as part of a mock study section. Listen in as mentors discuss and provide feedback on your grant – giving you invaluable insights into the review process.

David Spriggs, MD, Course Director, A Grant of One’s Own, Professor in Residence, Medicine, Harvard Medical School  

Oladapo Yeku, MD, PhD, Assistant Course Director, A Grant of One’s Own, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School 

Pathfinder offers Becoming a Resilient Scientist series for the HCC community each Spring and Fall. This five-part series, developed by NIH and led by our own trained facilitator, is designed to equip you with vital skills for resilience, self-awareness, and communication in the challenging world of research and health sciences. Each session combines an NIH-developed lecture with a facilitated small group discussion. Prior to each meeting, you will receive curated videos, workbooks, or reading materials that introduce the session topics and prepare you for thoughtful discussion.

How It Works

• Facilitated Discussion, Not Problem-Solving: After reviewing the materials, participants join small groups led by a trained facilitator. The group’s focus is on reflecting, sharing experiences, gaining self-awareness, and practicing new tools and strategies.
• Peer Learning Environment: The small group format encourages honest dialogue, mutual support, and learning from one another’s experiences.
• Participation: Complete all sessions and group discussions to earn a certificate of completion. Attending the series in its entirety is most beneficial for building community and maintaining group dynamics.

Topics Covered Include

• Building resilience and understanding growth vs. fixed mindsets.
• Managing imposter fears, cognitive distortions, and helpful self-talk.
• Setting boundaries and practicing assertiveness.
• Navigating feedback and managing up in mentoring relationships.
• Enhancing well-being and emotional awareness.

Additional resources

• Han AH, Klenke U, McNulty LC, Scheiner A, Milgram SL. Becoming a Resilient Scientist Series: An Intervention Program. Front. Educ. 2025; 10. doi=10.3389/feduc.2025.1477509

The Harvard Cancer Consortium (HCC) Core Facilities are central or “shared” laboratories that provide members with critical services to advance their research. This webinar series will highlight the services offered by HCC Core Facilities and will provide examples of how early-career researchers have utilized them to support their work. 

Upcoming and recorded HCC Core Facilities Spotlights may be accessed by logging in to the Pathfinder Webtool, clicking on the “Opportunities” tab, searching for “HCC Core Facilities Spotlight” in the search bar, clicking on "Learning" under "Categories," and sorting by "Recently Added." 

A monthly micro-journal club presented by the first author highlighting key findings and implications of a recent cancer publication from HCC Member laboratories. 

Features

• Short format: Brief (10-15 minutes) presentation that captures the big question, key findings and broad implications of the publication.
• Goal: Allows researchers across the seven HCC institutions to hear about research happening in HCC member labs. 
• For the presenter: Opportunity to showcase their recent publication and practice their communication skills, presenting their work in a concise format to cancer researchers across different disciplines.

Upcoming and recorded HCC Core Facilities Spotlights may be accessed by logging in to the Pathfinder Webtool, clicking on the “Opportunities” tab, searching for “First-Author Journal Club” in the search bar, clicking on "Learning" under "Categories," and sorting by "Recently Added." 

Contact Isabel Lam if you are interested in presenting!

Pathfinder hosts monthly Pathfinder Career Hub webinars that provide the HCC community with career advice through interviews and panel conversations with former postdocs about a wide variety of careers. Career Hub webinars provide insight on how former postdocs leveraged their scientific experience to seek their next career step.

In addition, Pathfinder hosts Career Conversations, which are interviews or presentations by faculty or industry leaders sharing their career journey or providing advice on a specific career-related topic.

Upcoming and recorded HCC Core Facilities Spotlights may be accessed by logging in to the Pathfinder Webtool, clicking on the “Opportunities” tab, searching for “Pathfinder Career Hub” in the search bar, clicking on "Learning" under "Categories," and sorting by "Recently Added."