About our program:
M-CORP aims to address gaps in cancer research capacity in Malawi and provide focused strategic investment to increase the cadre of trained investigators who can pursue independent research careers and improve cancer outcomes in Malawi by:
- establishing a robust curriculum and training opportunities across the continuum of cancer outcomes research specific to the Malawian environment and research priorities
- supporting advanced degrees
- overcoming obstacles to research independence by providing postdoctoral opportunities including mentored pilot grants
We use a collaborative leadership strategy based at UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Project-Malawi cancer program, and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences that optimizes our strengths across the spectrum of cancer outcomes research. An exceptional pool of multidisciplinary mentors, a detailed plan for program evaluation, and robust, broad-based partnerships between UNC and Malawian institutions ensure that M-CORP objectives will be met and will establish Malawi as an internationally recognized center of excellence for cancer outcomes research.
Global Oncology Fellowship
M-CORP provides a one-year mentored research training opportunity in cancer outcomes research for UNC postdoctoral fellows. Funding will cover up to 50% of stipend (shared with approval from postdoc’s primary department), research-related costs, and travel expenses. Approval from Adult and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Radiation Oncology, and Pathology has been secured, but UNC postdoctoral trainees from other departments are also eligible to apply.
Requirements for the Postdoctoral Fellowship:
- An MD and/or PhD
- Commitment to reside in Malawi during the one-year fellowship period;
- Approval for stipend support from primary department (if not listed above)
- Commitment to global cancer outcomes research
Application Details:
The deadline for receiving applications is April 5 for 2024 program appointment. The fellowship year spans 07/2024-06/2025. Candidates may be asked to complete an interview with program leadership.
To apply, please email the M-CORP program manager Kristin Reed for the list of required documents.
PhD Scholarship Opportunity
M-CORP provides a scholarship for two PhD trainees at one of two institutions associated with this training program:
- U.S.: UNC GIllings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management
- Malawi: Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Department of Bioinformatics
Applications for this opportunity are not being accepted at this time.
MMed Scholarship Opportunity
Students may earn a Master’s in Medicine (MMed) in Clinical Oncology, Medical Oncology, Anatomical Pathology or Pediatric Oncology. Program can be completed at any participating international site, including:
- South Africa:
University of Cape Town, Cape Town
University of Pretoria, Pretoria
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
- Uganda:
Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala
Global HOPE/ Makerere University, Kampala
- Zimbabwe:
University of Zimbabwe, Harare
Applications for this opportunity are not being accepted at this time.
Principal Investigators:
Yuri Fedoriw is the Labcorp Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Lab Medicine and co-director of the UNC-Project Malawi Cancer Program. His research interests focus on the biology and classification of lymphoproliferative disorders, primarily associated with HIV infection. Collaborating with our team in Malawi, he runs weekly telepathology conferences to support both the clinical and research efforts. Clinically, he supports the selection and interpretation of immunohistochemical stains for cancer diagnosis, educating laboratory staff and pathologists, and verifying diagnoses in Chapel Hill. With new research funding, he is extending UNC’s telepathology cancer services from Malawi throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and ultimately developing a regional infrastructure for diagnosis and tissue-based studies. Learn more.
For more information, reach out to the Fellowships and Training Programs Office.
