MultiOmics of Cancers Training Program (MOCTP)
The MultiOmics of Cancers Training Program (MOCTP), previously named the Proteogenomics of Cancer Training Program (PCTP), was established in 2010 and is funded by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH and provides training for graduate students performing cancer-related research. Typically, trainees are funded in Yrs 1 & 2 or in Yrs 2 & 3 of their graduate program.
Goal: The main goal of the MOCTP is to train the next generation of independent leaders and translational innovators in cancer research, by addressing the current scarcity of researchers skilled in effectively leveraging large-scale, multi-omics and spatial cancer datasets and AI-enabled integrative methods to uncover novel cancer biology and accelerate precision oncology discoveries. This continues our unique focus on mass spectrometry-based proteomics/metabolomics and is not something that could be achieved within a single departmental training program.
For More Information
Why Apply to the MOCTP?
Innovative cancer research increasingly depends on integrative computational strategies across various molecular modalities, including single cell omics and spatially distributed tissue landscapes, genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, (histo)pathomics, and immunomics. The MOCTP:
trains cancer biologists in the computational skills needed for such complex multimodal analyses, and
trains computational biomedical scientists in the cancer biology skills needed for impactful cancer discoveries.
It accomplishes this through a unique combination of a carefully crafted curriculum and activities designed to strengthen cancer biology research, coding/AI, career development, and leadership skills.
MOCTP mentors are from a wide variety of departments and graduate programs, including Bioinformatics, Pathology, Cancer Biology, Biological Chemistry, CDB, MIP, CMB, Immunology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, and Oral Health Sciences.
Nomination Process
A call for nominations will be sent to all affiliated faculty and graduate programs on an annual basis in February, with applications due in early May. Nominations of students outside of the Bioinformatics Program are welcome.
Faculty sponsors who are not yet members of the MOCTP should also submit a description of the research environment of their laboratory, including the mentoring plan. They should also indicate their willingness to participate in MOCTP activities and apply to join MOCTP faculty.
Program Requirements
Trainees are expected to take the following three Core courses:
CancBio 554 (The Science of Cancer)
BIOINF 551 (Proteome and Metabolome Informatics)
One of: BIOINF 545 (High-Throughput Molecular Genomic and Epigenomic Data Analysis) or BIOINF 590 (Image Processing and Advanced Machine Learning for Cancer Bioinformatics)
In addition, MOCTP trainees are also required to complete the following foundational courses unless comparable courses are taken as part of their normal course of study:
BIOINF 527 (Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology) or BIOINF 529 (Bioinformatics Concepts and Algorithms).
An approved statistics class, such as STATS 403 (Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods), BIOSTAT 521 (Applied Biostatistics), STATS 500/503 (Statistical Learning I & II: Regression and Multivariate Analysis), or BIOINF 531 (Probability and Applied Statistics for Bioinformatics).
------------- Optional Recommended Courses -------------
These additional courses, carefully selected from various relevant Graduate Programs, allow trainees to both fill gaps in critical skills and build on their strengths.
HUMGEN 551: Computational Genomics.
BIOINF 593: Machine Learning in Computational Biology.
CDB 550: Histology: Through the Looking Glass.
PATH 581: Tissue, Cellular & Molecular Basis of Disease.
BIOINF 595: Machine Learning and AI for Drug Discovery.
BIOINF 535: Generative AI in Biomedical Research: Foundations and Responsible Applications.
Trainees are expected to fulfill the following requirements:
Participate in core courses and program activities
Include at least one MOCTP faculty member on the dissertation committee (other than the dissertation advisor)
Annually update their research descriptions
Provide reporting information required by the funding agency
In addition, trainees must acknowledge the training grant in all publications referring to research while appointed. In accordance with NIH requirements, all publications need to be submitted to PubMed Central according to a new policy going into effect July 1, 2025. Information on this can be found here:
The title and grant number to use: MultiOmics of Cancers Training Program (T32 CA140044)
In addition to ensuring that the MOCTP trainees fulfill their obligations to the MOCTP program, faculty mentors are expected to
Maintain consistent cancer research in their laboratories
Complete either the Engaged Mentoring Workshop hosted by OGPS or the MICHR Mentoring Academy. Both are based on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) <https://www.cimerproject.org/#/> and satisfy the new NIH guidelines.
Participate in MOCTP events, administration, and/or courses. Events include the Fall Kickoff for the Bioinformatics program, workshops, MOCTP Journal Club, and recruitment events.
