ODYSSEY: Oncological Data Academy for Students in Health Science

ODYSSEY provides a research internship experience focusing on translational big-data studies in cancer with leading researchers in bioinformatics, biostatistics and machine learning at Moffitt and the University of South Florida (USF). The program is tailored for undergraduate students currently enrolled in a college or university within the state of Florida. Research trainees are primarily students on the pre-medicine track, public health program, or computer science program, interested in gaining exposure to cancer research. There are four major goals of the program: 

1. Basic training in basic data processing and data cleaning.
2. Basic training in bioinformatics.
3. Basic training in simple machine learning models.
4. Basic training in cancer biology and immune-oncology.

At the end of the training, the student is expected to generate an oral presentation during the Bio2/Machine Learning weekly seminars.

This research experience is education-focused and volunteer-based, typically without a stipend.

Each student is expected to commit to one year of training. Training can be scheduled around classes.  

Students are accepted to this program on a rolling basis, depending on faculty mentor availability. 

Apply to ODYSSEY

Students accepted into this program will be required to undergo a criminal background check and drug screen, for which Moffitt will cover the costs. Human Resources will require the submission of additional forms and documentation.

Example training plan:

1. Data Processing and Visualization - Learn one of the following:
   a.    R programming and R Shiny
   b.    Python
   c.    Javascript and HTML
2. Bioinformatics
   a.    History of bioinformatics
   b.    Basic genomics analysis
   c.    Basic in single-cell RNAseq
   d.    Basic in spatial transcriptomic
3. Training in Machine Learning
   a.    Python – TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-Learn
   b.    R – Caret, XGBoost
   c.    Attending the BioData Club
4. Basic Training in Cancer Biology and Immunology
   a.    Cancer oncogenesis
   b.    Somatic mutations
   c.    Defining markers and features of T cells and myeloid cells
   d.    Attending the Immunology Journal Clubs
   e.    Attending the Cancer Biology Journal Clubs 

Key Contacts:

1. Timothy Shaw, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Moffitt
   Timothy.Shaw@Moffitt.org
2. Mingxiang Teng, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Moffitt
   Mingxiang.Teng@Moffitt.org
3. Aleks Karolak, Department of Machine Learning, Moffitt
   Aleks.Karolak@Moffitt.org
4. Rays Jiang, University of South Florida
   jiang2@usf.edu
5. Heraldo Dalmeida, Moffitt Quantitative Science Research Operations
   Heraldo.Dalmeida@Moffitt.org
6. Tonya Kaplan, Moffitt Quantitative Science Research Operations
   Tonya.Kaplan@Moffitt.org
7. Paola Uscanga, Moffitt Research Education and Training (RET)
   Paola.Uscanga@Moffitt.org