Training
The Clark H. Smith Brain Tumor Center (Smith Center) offers scientific and clinical training in a cutting-edge research environment that emphasizes multidisciplinary, team-based approaches to translational brain tumor research.
Graduate Students
Graduate students can obtain M.Sc. or Ph.D. degrees in areas of cancer biology relating to brain tumors, including biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, genomics and proteomics, oncology, medical imaging, and bioinformatics. The Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute (SACRI) offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Cancer Biology within the Department of Medical Sciences graduate program. Graduate programs offered by other departments, such as the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, may also be appropriate, depending on the proposed supervisor's area of research interest. Students accepted in a graduate program are also eligible to apply to the Translational Research Training in Cancer Program, which is offered jointly by the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta. Visit the SACRI website for more information on how to apply to these graduate programs.
Postdoctoral Fellows
For more information about postdoctoral fellowship opportunities at the Smith Center, we encourage you to visit our list of Career Opportunities and to contact individual researchers that you are interested in working with.
Clinical Training in Neuro-Oncology
The Clark Smith Center offers a comprehensive neuro-oncology fellowship through the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. In addition to a rich clinical experience where fellows work with senior faculty on a daily basis, fellows will gain expertise in clinical research through participation in local, national and international clinical trials and will be given the opportunity to design, conduct and report novel research ideas and studies. Fellows may also elect to engage in translational or basic cancer research during a second fellowship year. Applicants must be eligible to obtain an educational license in the province of Alberta, and must have completed post-graduate medical training in neurology, neurosurgery, medical oncology, or radiation oncology. Interested applicants should send a CV and a letter of interest to Dr. Greg Cairncross at jgcairnx [at] ucalgary [dot] ca.
Research Opportunities for Undergraduate and High School Students
Undergraduate students in medical or health-related fields can apply to the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) for summer studentships that provide the opportunity to carry out medical research projects with professors in the Faculty of Medicine. Exceptional Grade 12 students with a record of participation in the healthcare system and a clear interest in pursuing a career in health research are also eligible to apply to this program.
Grade 11 students with an interest in scientific research can apply to AHFMR's Heritage Youth Researcher Summer Program, which offers 6 weeks of hands-on research experience with AHFMR-funded researchers (including Smith Center members).
The Sanofi-Aventis Biotalent Challenge (SABC) is an annual science fair competition whose aim is to encourage students to pursue studies and careers in biotechnology. With the help of established researchers who act as mentors, teams of high school students design and carry out research projects in an area of biotechnology and present their results at regional and national science fairs. If you are a high school student interested in pursuing a biotechnology-related project in brain tumor biology or treatment, we encourage you to visit the SABC website for more details on how to develop your research ideas and find a suitable mentor.