The Janice Davis Gordon Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship in Colorectal Cancer Prevention
The Janice Davis Gordon Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship in Colorectal Cancer Prevention is more than a training opportunity; it is a call to action for the next generation of scientists and clinicians committed to stopping one of the most preventable cancers: colorectal cancer.
Our fellowship supports exceptional postdoctoral researchers driven to advance innovative strategies that reduce the burden of colorectal cancer and improve population health. Through our program, fellows join a mission-focused community dedicated to translating prevention science into meaningful, real-world outcomes.
As part of the Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (CPRTP), the Gordon Fellowship prepares researchers to become leaders in cancer prevention. Fellows are encouraged to think beyond traditional disciplines, building on their expertise while developing a broader understanding of colorectal cancer risk, early detection, and prevention. Trainees from clinical, behavioral, epidemiologic, and basic science backgrounds learn to connect ideas across fields and translate discoveries into meaningful impact.
At Â鶹ӳ» MD Anderson Cancer Center, research has shown that colorectal cancer can often be prevented through prevention and screening that detects disease early and allows for the removal of precancerous polyps before they progress.
A hallmark of our program is its dynamic, cross-disciplinary environment, where fellows collaborate with experts across diverse areas of cancer prevention and control. This immersive experience fosters creativity, broadens perspective, and accelerates the development of innovative research approaches.
In addition, fellows benefit from robust career development resources, mentorship, and leadership training, which equip them with the skills needed to become independent investigators and influential voices in the field of cancer prevention and control.
Ultimately, the Gordon Fellowship is about impact on science, patients, communities. It is an opportunity to contribute to a future where colorectal cancer is not only treatable but preventable. For researchers passionate about making a difference, our program offers the platform, support, and inspiration to lead the way.
Application Instructions and Forms
Important Dates
Application Open
Friday, June 12, 2026
Application Deadline
Monday, October 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Central Time
Application Review Period
Tuesday, October 6 ¨C Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Fellowship Award Notification
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Research & Career Proposals Due
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Earliest Fellowship Start Date
Monday, February 1, 2027
Eligibility
- Applicants must have already earned or be within 5 months of earning a doctoral degree in health science or related disciplines by the application deadline.
- May be from backgrounds in the basic biomedical sciences, medicine, biomedical statistics, epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, nursing and related public health disciplines.
- Proposed research project must be related to colorectal cancer prevention.
- This fellowship is available without regard to the applicant¡¯s U.S. citizenship status and we accept applications from U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Visa Holders.
Funding Support and Benefits
The Janice Davis Gordon Memorial Fellowship in Colorectal Cancer Prevention Research is funded for up to two years, renewed annually pending research progress and availability of funds.
Our program pays the postdoctoral salaries per the and the salary ranges are adjusted annually by the NIH. The Gordon Memorial fund will cover 85% of the salary + fringe, and the mentor or mentor's Department Chair will cover 15%. After the first appointment year, the salary may be subject to a one-time raise if approved by the CPRTP Director and mentor. Fringe benefits include health insurance, paid institutional holidays, and annual and sick leave.
This fellowship does not provide additional research support funds for tuition, reference books, meeting registration, travel support, and research costs. Awardees of the Janice Davis Gordon Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship in Colorectal Cancer Prevention must consult their mentors for additional research support.
Stipend Compensation
- Stipend (Fiscal Year 2026):
- Starting at $64,000 per year
- Based on previous years of experience
- Per MD Anderson and guidelines and ranges (adjusted annually)
- Gordon Memorial fund covers 85% of the salary + fringe, Mentor/Dept. Chair covers 15%
- Salary may be subject to a one-time raise with funding availability, and program and mentor approval
- Taxes: Subject to U.S. federal taxes
- Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, and paid monthly
Benefits and Support
- Stipend includes health insurance, paid holidays, and sick leave
- This fellowship does not provide additional funding support for:
- Conference travel
- Research supplies
- Books and software
- Professional development
- Relocation
- Housing
- MD Anderson campus parking reimbursement
Fellowship Appointment Terms
- Appointment home must be at MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Up to two (2) years, renewed annually based on successful research and training goal progress
- Location: On-campus/hybrid. The percentage of remote work is determined by the primary mentor
Onboarding and Exit Requirements
- Report to MD Anderson campus on their first day
- Pick up an MD Anderson ID badge
- Pick up MD Anderson-issued leased, encrypted laptop (requires offsite agreement signature)
- Bring unexpired social security card, state-issued ID
- Complete final evaluation of program and mentor
- Return all purchased equipment, office keys, and MD Anderson laptop computer at the conclusion of the fellowship
How to Find a Mentor
Mentor Requirements
1. This program requires a minimum of two mentors with complementary research expertise in different disciplines.
2. At least one mentor must at the Assistant Professor level or higher within the MD Anderson Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences (DCPPS).
3. The selected fellows will be appointed to the department of the MD Anderson primary mentor.
4. The proposed project must be in colorectal cancer prevention.
Mentor Â鶹ӳ» Methods
Method 1: Faculty working in cancer prevention are concentrated in the five departments below. Click the department links to find faculty members.
- Behavioral Science
- Health Disparities Research
- Clinical Cancer Prevention
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Method 2: Use this list to contact suggested mentors, but they are not guaranteed to be available.
Method 3: Use keywords like "colorectal cancer prevention" in the to find potential mentors. Please contact the CPRTP for faculty contact information.
How to Apply
How to Apply
Download all items under the 'Application Instructions and Forms' section of this web page. The instructions includes a hyperlink to the SLATE application and instructions for phases one and two of the application.
Application Phases
The application has two phases:
1) Phase One: Applicants must submit (1a) an inquiry form and (1b) supplement application, including letters of support, by the deadline on this page.
2) Phase Two: Only selected candidates will be invited to submit a Research and Career Proposal in colorectal cancer prevention.
Phase One (Required for All Applicants):
1a) Postdoctoral Fellow Inquiry Form:
- Personal Information
- Doctoral Degree. Add each relevant doctoral degree.
- Institution Name
- Country
- City
- State
- DegreeMajor
- Start Date
- End Date
- Date degree was or will be conferred.
- Upload a copy of the degree. Degree requirements:
- Must include certified translation if not in English.
- For current doctoral students: Upload two (2) documents merged into a single file:
- Proof of enrollment in a doctoral degree program, and
- A letter from the doctoral committee chairperson/advisor confirming the anticipated date of degree completion and that the student is in good standing.
- CV/Resume or Biosketch
- Publications (Minimum: One, Maximum: Five). Provide the most relevant and impactful manscripts that have already been published.
- Authorship (Select one)
- Type
- Journal Name
- Publication Title
- Publication Date
- Upload copy of the manuscript in .pdf format.
- eRA Commons ID and ORCID iD
- Statement of Research Experience and Interest (i.e., Personal Statement)
- Limit: 700 words
- Click the gray SUBMIT button.
1b) Supplement Application (submitted via email):
- Application Checklist & Coversheet must be completed, dated, and placed on top.
- One letter of support from each prospective mentor (one copy e-mailed directly from mentor or support staff to apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org and one copy may be included within the application).
- ²Ñ±ð²Ô³Ù´Ç°ù¡¯²õ Profile Form
- ²Ñ±ð²Ô³Ù´Ç°ù¡¯²õ NIH Biosketch (from each mentor)
- ²Ñ±ð²Ô³Ù´Ç°ù¡¯²õ Other Support (from each mentor)
- Professional photo
- Proposal Keywords, Title, and Suggested Reviewer Form: In case your application is selected, the data you provide on this form will help us solicit subject matter experts to review your research and career proposal.
- Fellowship Requirements Memo (signed by applicant and primary mentor)
- Mentor Requirements Memo (signed by primary mentor).
Phase Two: By Invitation Only
Research and Career Proposal
After the review committee evaluates the applications, the CPRTP Program Manager will notify all candidates of the decision. Awardees will be invited to submit a Research and Career Proposal, with detailed instructions and a specified submission deadline.
Gordon Fellowship Awardees (by most recent)
| # | Name | Department | Primary Mentor | Fellowship Term | Current Position |
| 1 | Sara Nofal, Ph.D. | Health Services Research | Dr. Iakovos Toumazis | 8/1/2025 - Present | Postdoctoral Fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Texas, USA) |
| 2 | Yusi Aveva Xu, Ph.D. | Health Disparities Research | Dr. Qian Lu | 7/16/2025 - Present | Postdoctoral Fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Texas, USA) |
| 3 | Cancer Systems Imaging | Dr. Pratip Bhattacharya | 9/1/2023-8/31/2025 | Assistant Professor, School of Dentistry, UT Health Houston-Â鶹ӳ» Health Science Center at Houston, (Houston, Texas, USA) | |
| 4 | Preeti Marie Kanikarla, Ph.D. | GI Medical Oncology Research | Dr. Edmund Scott Kopetz | 10/1/2018 ¨C 9/30/2020 | Senior Research Scientist, GI Medical Oncology Research, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Texas, USA) |
| 5 | Behavioral Science | Dr. Susan Schembre | 4/11/2016 ¨C 4/10/2018 | Assistant Professor, Director of the Physical Activity and Wearable Sensors (PAWS) Lab, University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, Texas, USA) | |
| 6 | Health Services Research | Dr. Scott B. Cantor | 7/29/2014 ¨C 7/28/2016 | Tenured Professor, Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina; Co-leader, Cancer Control Program, Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) (Charleston, South Carolina, USA); Co-director, Clinical Analytics and Decision Science (CADS), Lab, Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, South Carolina) | |
| 7 | Clinical Cancer Prevention | Dr. Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez | 6/17/2013 ¨C 6/16/2015 | Associate Professor, Social Work, Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio, Texas, USA) | |
| 8 | Clinical Cancer Prevention | Dr. Xiangwei Wu | 9/2/2011 ¨C 9/1/2013 | Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center (Kansas City, Kansas, USA) | |
| 9 | Shih-Feng Weng, Ph.D. | Epidemiology | Dr. Olga Gorlova | 9/1/2008 ¨C 8/31/2009 | Academic Researcher, Dept. of Healthcare Administration & Medical Informatics, Kaohsiung Medical University (Kaohsiung City, Taiwan) |
| 10 | Yuanqing Ye, Ph.D. | Epidemiology | Dr. Xifeng Wu | 9/1/2007 ¨C 7/16/2008 | Director, Eisai Company (Tokyo, Japan) |
| 11 | Jinyun Jane Chen, Ph.D. | Epidemiology | Dr. Marsha Frazier | 8/23/2006 ¨C 12/31/2007 | Executive Director, Clear Lake Montessori School (Houston, Texas, USA) |
| 12 | Ivan Gorlov, Ph.D. | Epidemiology | Dr. Christopher Amos | 8/11/2003 ¨C 9/30/2005 | Associate Professor, Epidemiology & Population Science, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas, USA) |
| 13 | Chongjuan Wei, Ph.D. | Epidemiology | Dr. Qingyi Wei | 3/27/2000 ¨C 3/27/2002 | Program Director, Head & Neck Surgery, MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Texas, USA) |
FAQs, Contact & More
As a Gordon Postdoc, I had the opportunity to interact with and learn from scientists in a wide variety of disciplines. These experiences increased my appreciation for prevention strategies, underscoring the value of a multi-disciplinary approach, leading me to pursue transdisciplinary training and research.