STO-CSCO International Fellowship Program

The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) and Society for Translational Oncology (STO) collectively value the importance of innovative and professional career development for young Chinese oncologists. Through strategic relationships with world-class institutions, sharing clinical programs, and collaborative research projects, the International Fellowship Program (IFP) is designed to address China’s pressing need for more oncologists with advanced clinical skills.

The IFP targets China’s rising stars as they prepare for careers as the next generation of independent clinical investigators and scientific experts in academia, the pharmaceutical industry or government. During this era of rapid development of precision medicine/personalized cancer therapies, immunotherapy, and novel drug development, this program concentrates on building professional skills in clinical trials, precision medicine, and immuno-oncology. Applicants were nominated by the CSCO leadership and then selected by the IFP Joint Fellowship Committee following a series of interviews.

During the three-month program, fellows worked closely with faculties from Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, STO Chabner Colloquium, STO Fellows' Forum, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand their knowledge and enhance their professional skills in clinical trials, precision medicine, and immuno-oncology.

IFP Fellows Making Their Marks

Five years after the IFP program launch, the two inaugural fellows are proof of its success. Jia Wei, MD, PhD, of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, and Sheng Yang, MD, PhD, of Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, have proven to be rising stars in their field. They both credit this, in part, to the insights they gained during their IFP experience.

“The desire of STO, CSCO and our joint fellowship is to not only help train the next generation of oncologists, but to build leadership for this generation as well,” said Dr. Ann Murphy, STO’s executive director.

STO caught up with the two recently to see where they are today and to learn what they have to say about how the IFP fellowship has affected their careers.