Cancer Research Pioneer Calls for Mentorship Revolution to Save Science

Professor Chun Ju Chang, a distinguished cancer biologist with decades of experience at premier institutions like UCLA, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, is sounding a crucial alarm about the urgent need for enhanced mentorship and education in cancer research. Drawing from her global career that now positions her as a Professor at China Medical University in Taiwan, Chang emphasizes that the future of scientific discovery hinges not merely on funding or equipment but on investing in the people who conduct the work. She highlights that with global cancer cases projected by the World Health Organization to surge to 28 million annually by 2040, the pressure on research systems is intensifying, yet many early-career scientists abandon their roles due to burnout, lack of guidance, and unclear career paths. Research published in Nature underscores this point, revealing that scientists with strong mentors are twice as likely to publish high-impact studies and remain in the field long-term, yet structured mentorship remains inconsistent across institutions.

Chang's advocacy is deeply personal, rooted in witnessing talented students lose confidence without proper support, and she argues that mentorship builds essential qualities like judgment, resilience, and confidence beyond technical skills. This call to action is particularly timely as it addresses broader issues of diversity and inclusion in science; UNESCO reports that less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women, with even lower representation in senior roles, and Chang views mentorship as a powerful tool for fostering change by ensuring talent from all backgrounds feels seen and guided. She notes that well-mentored teams produce clearer data, fewer errors, and stronger collaboration, directly impacting the quality and speed of cancer discovery. Rather than focusing solely on policy reforms, Chang urges individuals across education, science, and communities to take practical steps, such as encouraging curiosity, sharing knowledge openly, offering informal guidance, promoting inclusive environments, and supporting science education, believing that small actions can collectively sustain the next generation of researchers.

As cancer research grows increasingly complex, Chang asserts that the need for effective guidance will only become more critical, making mentorship a foundational element for future breakthroughs. Her message is a rallying cry for a cultural shift in scientific training, emphasizing that the path to better science lies in nurturing the human element behind the research.