On February 6, 2026, Yale Cancer Center's Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) Office, welcomed students from Hill Regional Career High School for a Cancer Research Discovery Program (CRDP), a day designed to introduce them to careers in cancer research and medicine.
Students networked over lunch with MD/PhD trainees, including members of the Cancer Student Interest Group, before participating in lab rotations in the Perry, Rogers, Nguyen, and Yan labs, where they gained firsthand exposure to cancer research in action. Speakers during the day included Rachel Perry, PhD; Cece Calhoun, MD, MPHS, MBA, Layla Van Doren, MD, MBA; Jennifer Afranie-Sakyi, MD; Rebecca Starble, PhD; and Xuehong (Hong) Zhang, MBBS, MSc, ScD.
CRTEC is led by Michaela A. Dinan, PhD, a professor of epidemiology (chronic diseases) at the Yale School of Public Health and the associate director for research training and education at the Yale Cancer Center. CRTEC is committed to developing the next generation of cancer researchers across all scientific disciplines, including basic, translational, clinical, and population-based research. It supports career development at every stage from middle school students to junior faculty, helping to build a strong, diverse pipeline of future scientists and health professionals.