Findings
Figure 3. Type of Breast Cancer Work Currently Done by Respondents
II. Current Career and Employment of Respondents
The first area of the survey pertained to the current career of the respondents. Primarily, we were interested in whether the new investigators were still involved in breast cancer research. We found that 17 (85%) respondents are still conducting breast cancer research, including basic science research that is applicable to breast cancer (see figure 3). Additionally, two (10%) respondents who are not currently conducting breast cancer research are active in breast cancer teaching and advocacy. Only one respondent is not working in the field of breast cancer. Eleven (58%) respondents stated they devote between 50 and 100% of their work time specifically to breast cancer related activities (see figure 4).
When surveying the 19 respondents still doing some type of breast cancer work, the majority 13 (69%) felt that if they had not received the New Investigator Award, they would not currently be involved in breast cancer work now.
Figure 4. Percent of Work Time Devoted to the Field of Breast Cancer
III. Impact of CBCRP New Investigator Award on Career
The next area of inquiry was the impact that the CBCRP New Investigator Award had on the career of award recipients. Specifically, we wanted to assess whether the New Investigator Award recruited and retained researchers in the field of breast cancer. Seven (35%) respondents reported using the award to switch into breast cancer research from another field and all seven have remained in breast cancer research. The remaining 13 (65%) were already doing research related to breast cancer when they applied for the award (see figure 5).
Figure 5. Recruiting Breast Cancer Researchers
For those respondents new to the field, some said the award allowed them to study an area of research in which researchers around them were not interested. For those already in the field, some respondents said the award provided them with an opportunity to develop their own research ideas.
Ninety-five percent (19 of 20) of respondents felt that the New Investigator Award gave them the opportunity to do work relevant to breast cancer research that they otherwise would have been unable to do (see figure 6). Several respondents stated that they could not find any other funding agencies that would invest in their specific idea without extensive preliminary data. Other respondents stated that without CBCRP funding they would not have conducted the research at all and they would have been forced to work in other fields. Only one respondent felt that she still would have done the research without CBCRP funding because her personal and professional commitment to breast cancer was so strong.
Figure 6. Did the Award Give You the Opportunity to do Work Relevant to Breast Cancer That You Would Not Have Otherwise Been Able to Do?
