Most cancer breakthroughs don’t begin with a discovery. They begin with a decision.A decision to train.
A decision to mentor.
A decision to back emerging scientists long before the impact is felt.
That’s why one of the most meaningful outcomes of the inaugural Audaxity ride isn’t a single study, headline, or scientific result. It’s an investment in the next generation of cancer researchers, made possible by a community willing to look beyond the finish line and think about what comes next.
Because of that extraordinary support, which raised $1,062,344 in Audaxity’s first year, the MCW Cancer Center has launched a new Clinical Research Fellowship Program. One of three major initiatives funded through the ride, the program reflects a long-term commitment to strengthening cancer discovery by preparing early-career physician-scientists to lead the future of research and care.
Stu Wong, MD, Director of the new program, said it’s designed to meet talented trainees at a moment of possibility, when the right support can open doors rather than close them. “These are people who are fairly far along in their training, and many haven’t made a final career decision yet. It’s hard to choose an academic research path without real support at that stage. That’s exactly what this program is designed to do.”
The Missing Piece MCW Is Finally Building
MCW has long been a place where trainees gain deep clinical experience. With thousands of cancer patients treated each year, fellows and residents see disease across its full spectrum, work with a diverse patient population, and learn alongside nationally recognized investigators.What MCW hasn’t had until now is a Cancer Center-wide program intentionally built to support trainees who want to pair that clinical depth with meaningful, sustained cancer research training. That vision is already moving forward, with recruitment for the first cohort of fellows now underway.
“We recruit established investigators all the time. What we didn’t have, until now, was a way to intentionally support early-career scientists while in training. The program will bring us more in line with top cancer centers, and make us a destination,” Gustavo Leone, PhD, Cancer Center Director.
Launching the program required a deliberate commitment. $450,000 of Audaxity funding is being directed to support fellows at this critical stage, providing protected research time, mentorship, and the infrastructure needed to succeed in an academic research environment.
For Dr. Wong, that structure is essential. He says without it, research often becomes “something trainees try to fit in on the margins of an already demanding clinical schedule.” The program changes that dynamic by giving physician-scientists the focus and continuity needed to pursue discovery in a meaningful way.
The fellowship also fills a gap left by traditional federal training mechanisms. NIH-funded T32 programs play an important role by supporting research training through highly competitive, time-limited grants, but they are not designed to launch or sustain new initiatives on their own. “This gives us flexibility we haven’t had before. It allows us to build something durable and intentional rather than relying entirely on short funding cycles,” Dr. Wong added.
In the near term, fellows will contribute directly to active cancer research projects and collaborative teams, strengthening studies already underway. Over time, as their careers take shape, they will carry forward the training and perspective developed at the Cancer Center to help advance research and care wherever their work leads.
“That’s part of the impact,” said Dr. Wong. “That experience stays with them and continues to shape how they improve cancer care.”
A Program Built by the Community for the Community
For Dr. Wong, who also rode in last year’s Audaxity event, the Clinical Research Fellowship Program reflects a question he heard again and again while fundraising: Where does this support actually go, and does it make a difference close to home?
For many in the community, the depth of cancer expertise and research happening at the MCW Cancer Center isn’t always visible until it’s needed. The fellowship program provides a clear answer by showing how community support becomes people, training, and future discovery.
The program also represents something new for the Cancer Center: a direct way for the community to help shape who leads cancer research next, not just what research gets done.
“There’s a type of trainee this program helps us attract,” said Dr. Wong. “People who want to care for patients and help push discovery forward at the same time. That didn’t really exist here in a structured way before. Now, thanks to people who believed in what Audaxity could do, it does.”
What Audaxity accomplished in its first year was only the opening chapter. The story continues on August 2, as riders and supporters return with a deeper understanding of what their miles can build, not just for today, but for what comes next.
Be part of the impact.