Our Goal
The goal of the Heidi Dvinge and Patti Keely Cancer Trainee Network is to grow the involvement of trainees across the UW cancer research fields and foster a community of service. We are open to trainees of all levels who are working with our faculty and trainees doing cancer-related research in ALL areas.
Our Purpose
Serve and provide value to ALL cancer research trainees. Specifically, trainees can expect:
• Opportunities to interact with other trainees of all levels and research areas
• Funding opportunities
• Grass roots voice for trainee needs
The Cancer Trainee Network is growing…it’s time for you to get involved!!
The Cancer Trainee Network started in 2019 and was created to provide a platform for ALL cancer related research from basic science to clinical fellows. Some of the benefits offered to registered trainees:
• Interactions, support, and networking opportunities
• Funding and Awards – Research Retreat, Travel/Enrichment,
Summer Research (you must be registered to be eligible)
• Cancer-related seminars
• Network communications
To be eligible for awards and travel opportunities, you must be a registered member.
Registration Link
Faculty Advisors
Anna Huttenlocher, MD
Professor of Medical Microbiology
& Immunology and Pediatrics
Jane Churpek, MD, MS
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology
Medical Oncology and
Palliative Care
Cancer Trainee Network Seminar Series
The CTN Seminar Series provides all trainee’s with the opportunity to share their research with other trainees. This is a great space to meet, practice and collaborate.
All events will take place in
HSLC 1248
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Pizza will be provided!!
2025 Spring Dates
February 18
March 18
April 15
June 11 Combined CTN and Immunology
Zoom Link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/91626141446
If you are interested in presenting or know someone who would, please click the button below to fill out the form.
Immunology Work-in-Progress (IWiP)
A forum for trainees and early career faculty
to share their ongoing research with other
trainees conducting cancer research.
Your UW Immunology Work In Progress (IWIP)
is excited to announce the
2025 Spring Seminar Series Schedule
February 18
March 11
April 8
IWIP meetings will be in
Microbial Science Building (MSB)
Room 2511
12pm – 1pm
Zoom Link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/5489456682
Pizza will be provided!!
Upcoming Events
April 30, 2025: lunch meet & greet with Dr. Whitney Zahnd
May 6, 2025: CTN leadership team quarterly meeting
May 7, 2025: End of semester social- puzzle and game night! RSVP here
Heidi Dvinge & Patti Keely Travel/Enrichment Awards
for graduate and medical students, residents, clinical and research fellows and postdocs
Application for the 2025 Annual Awards will open in late Spring 2025
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Annual Heidi Dvinge and Patti Keely Cancer Trainee Network Travel/Enrichment Awards!
This award was made possible by generous donors and is to provide support for full-time trainees to travel to events that will enhance their cancer research training.
Additional Network Info
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Current Cancer Trainee Network Leadership Team
Cancer Trainee Network Leadership Team
President: Amanda Shea – Cancer Biology
Vice President: Jack Shireman – Neurological Surgery
Cristina Paz – Surgery/Human Oncology
Megan Bacabac – Cellular & Molecular Biology
Tanaya Purohit – Urology
Clayton Marcinak – General Surgery
Apoorva Anandan, MD
Amy Taylor, MD Research Fellow
Marien Ochoa, MD Post Doctoral Fellow
Allison Weisnicht – Pediatric Hematology Oncology
Rachel Minnie – Medical Physics
Kasey Mitchell – Endocrinology & Reproductive Physiology
Jayden West – Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology
Mason McGuire – Cellular & Molecular Biology
Rachel Minnie – Medical Physics
Mikaela Bray – Celllular & Molecular Pathology
Hannah Fry – Rehabilitation Psychology & Special Education
Zach Schultz – Cancer Biology
Loren Lopez Rivera – Molecular & Cellular Pharm/Human Oncology
Elise Dietmann – Surgical Oncology
Manlu Liu – Human Oncology
Activities and Benefits
- Quarterly advisory panel meetings
- Recommendations on how they could benefit from the center, planning for honors opportunities, ideas to unify cancer related trainees
- Review grant applications for undergraduate educational grants
- Serve on the Carbone Research Retreat planning committee
- Recommendations/Judging of trainee presentations and awards
- Possible Honors
- Society trainee specific funding opportunities (travel awards, small research awards) *you must be registered with the Cancer Trainee Network to apply and receive awards.
- Opportunities to speak at community events
- Host Cancer Center tours or nominate other to lead tours
- Best paper awards
- Grand Rounds presentation
- Other Amazing Perks
- Seminar Events information
- Social Information
- Network support opportunities
- The Cancer Trainee Network Chronicles Newspaper
- Access to Cancer Trainee Network podcasts
- Volunteer opportunities through UWCCC
Applying to be part of the Cancer Trainee Network Leadership Team
NOMINATION INFORMATION
- Members will be added each year for the leadership cohort
- 2-year term
APPLICATION PROCESS AND COMPONENTS
- Work with your mentor to complete the application (link above)
- Trainee – Brief statement of application
- Trainee – Resume/biosketch
- Mentor – Letter of recommendation
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:
- Trainee levels eligible – graduate, medical, postdoctoral, residents, fellows
- Musts be working with Cancer Center faculty, conducting cancer-focused research and/or are engaged in oncology-related clinical training.
- Trainee should have demonstrated involvement in research events, committees, cancer related organizations
- Mentor recommendation on trainee demonstration or expression of research excellence, professionalism, dedication.
Contact Rebecca McDermid for more information on the Cancer Trainee Network
Research Resources
https://cancer.wisc.edu/research/shared-resources/
SMPH funding opportunities link
https://intranet.med.wisc.edu/research/funding-opportunities/
medRAMP grants library link
https://grantslibrary.med.wisc.edu/
Grant opportunities from UWCCC
https://cancer.wisc.edu/research/funding/
Data Science Hub
https://datascience.wisc.edu/hub
UW Biotechnology Center
This Cancer Trainee Network is named in honor and memory of two amazing scientists
Heidi Dvinge, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Chemistry and member of the Carbone Cancer Center, passed away unexpectedly in September 2019. With great sorrow over the loss of a brilliant young scientist, colleague, mentor and friend, we honor her memory and her scholarly work. Dvinge had been a member of the School of Medicine and Public Health faculty. Her research program was dedicated to understanding how misregulation of RNA processing contributes to disease, and how changes that occur in RNA splicing processes in cancer cells might be exploited to allow new therapeutic approaches. Her research interwove the disciplines of molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics and oncology with a combination of precision and creativity. “She had the knowledge and ability to conduct science involving big data, but at the same time, she had finesse for experimental science in the lab — a very rare combination.” Says Emery Bresnick, PhD, leader of the UW Carbone Cancer Center’s Genetics and Epigenetics Program. The scientific world took note of Dvinge’s brilliance: Over the past five years alone, her publications have been cited more than 4,600 times.
She was a skilled mentor to undergraduates and graduate students, serving as a faculty mentor in the Integrated Program in Biochemistry, the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the Genetics PhD program.
Patricia Keely, PhD, was Professor of Cell and Regenerative Biology and
co-leader of the Tumor Micro-environment Group at Carbone Cancer Center. It would be easy to simply say Dr. Patti Keely was a world-class, nationally recognized breast cancer researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. And, that would be correct – but only part of the picture. Patti transformed her personal cancer diagnosis into experiential learning opportunities that inspired her to dive deeper in search of a cure for the disease. Keely died in 2017 of advanced pancreatic cancer. Her prolific research career, which includes countless publications, was most recently focused on cell signaling related to cellular differentiation and transformation and included her sentinel research on the role of the cellular micro-environment in the behavior of breast cancer cells.
Her leadership, mentor ship and her collaborative nature allowed her to make a tremendous impact in this world, according to Dr. Howard Bailey, associate dean for oncology and past director of the Carbone Cancer Center. “She leaves behind a remarkable legacy as an outstanding scientist, dedicated mentor, strong academic leader, and caring and committed person,” said Dr. Robert Golden, dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health.