Membership in the UK Markey Cancer Center Research Community

Purpose

The purpose of defining membership in the Markey Cancer Center (MCC) is to identify and appropriately support a collaborative community of investigators dedicated to advancement of the overall mission of the Center: To reduce the morbidity and mortality of cancer. 

To facilitate discovery and its translation into direct benefit to patients and the general public, and maintain the six essential characteristics for NCI-Comprehensive Center designation, the MCC has formed a critical mass of excellent cancer-relevant scientific research Programs.

The Six Essential Characteristics of an NCI-designated Cancer Center
(from the Cancer Center Support Grant Guidelines)

• Facilities dedicated to the conduct of cancer focused research, and to the center’s shared resources, administration, and research dissemination should be appropriate and adequate to the task.
• Organizational Capabilities for the conduct of research and the evaluation and planning of center activities should take maximum advantage of the parent institution’s capabilities in cancer research.
• Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Collaboration and Coordination: Substantial coordination, interaction, and collaboration among center members from a variety of disciplines should enhance and add value to the productivity and quality of research in the center.
• Cancer Focus: A defined scientific focus on cancer research should be clear from the center members’ grants and contracts, and from the structure and objectives of its programs.
• Institutional Commitment: The center should be recognized as a formal organizational component with sufficient space, positions and resources to insure organizational stability and fulfill the center’s objectives.
• Center Director: The director should be a highly qualified scientist and administrator with leadership experience and institutional authority appropriate to manage the center.

Membership and Eligibility

The MCC recognizes four categories of membership. Full-time University of Kentucky faculty from any college or department engaged in peer-reviewed, cancer-related research, whether aligned with one of the established MCC-designated research programs or working in developing cancer research related areas, are eligible for membership in the MCC.  Full-time clinical faculty from any discipline who provide leadership in developing and implementing new clinical studies and/or translational research initiatives designed to advance the understanding and treatment of cancer are also eligible for membership.  Staff Associates (non-faculty investigators, e.g., post-doctoral trainees, instructors, research associates, and non-tenure track assistant professors) from any college or department that collaborate with MCC Members to advance the overall mission of the Center are eligible to apply for affiliate membership.   

Membership Categories

Research Member:This category describes MCC faculty actively conducting basic, translational, clinical or population-based cancer research. An individual must be a principal investigator on a cancer-related, peer-reviewed, funded research grant or a principal investigator on an investigator-initiated trial while accruing at least five patients to clinical trials each year. Research Members should have recent cancer-related publications in peer-reviewed journals, actively participate in one of the MCC research programs and use MCC shared resources. This membership level also includes faculty who have made significant contributions to cancer research and play a major leadership role in cancer-related grants and MCC programs.

Associate Research Member:This category includes new MCC investigators who may or may not have cancer-related research funding. New investigators are regularly advised by individual Mentoring Committees, as well as by the MCC Senior and Program Leadership Committee. One of the objectives in this advisory process is the transitioning to Research Member status in a timely manner. This membership level may also include established faculty who may not have their own research funding but play a major role as co-investigators or collaborators with other MCC Research Members. Principal investigators of institutional, non-peer-reviewed sponsored cancer clinical trials are included in this category. Associate Research Members are expected to be active participants in MCC research programs and utilize MCC-sponsored shared facilities.

Affiliate Member: This category is primarily for investigators who have no active, independent, cancer-related extramural funding but who are actively involved in cancer research. Moreover, other individuals that are Affiliate Members include tenured UK faculty who do not have extramural funding in cancer-related research areas but are interested in transitioning their research into one with a cancer focus; these individuals must demonstrate interest in cancer research by collaborating with members of the MCC research programs and/or by utilizing MCC-sponsored shared resources.

Clinical Member: This category is designed for MCC physicians directly involved in the patient care mission of the MCC but not involved in initiating their own research studies. Active physician faculty members who do not meet the requirements of a Research or Associate Research Member are classified as Clinical Members.

Participation in MCC-designated Research Programs

Cancer Centers promote cancer-focused research through formal scientific Programs. Programs select members for their scientific excellence and for their commitment to collaborate and work together. Program members may contribute to the objectives of the center in four important ways: cancer research, education, dissemination, and care.

The MCC Research Programs are:

• Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling
• Cancer Prevention & Control
• Experimental Therapeutics
• Redox Injury and Repair

A Program comprises the activities of a group of investigators who share common scientific interests and goals and participate in competitively funded research. Programs should be highly interactive and lead to exchange of information, experimental techniques, and ideas that enhance the individual productivity of scientists and often result in collaborations and joint publications. Ultimately, the success of Programs is measured by the emergence of productive collaborations. How this is achieved will vary with the Center and the needs of particular Programs. Formal or informal planning meetings, seminars and retreats, developmental funding of selected pilot projects, new shared resources, or key recruitments may be effective ways of promoting increasing levels of interaction (from the Cancer Center Support Grant Guidelines).

Rights and Privileges

MCC Members have priority access to all MCC shared resources, including research laboratory and support space, core facilities (some free, some discounted) and pilot project funding. In addition, MCC Members are provided support services in grant application and manuscript preparation and review, professional development opportunities, and advocacy for promotion, tenure, Wethington awards and outside or institutional funding requests, as warranted.

Member Responsibilities

MCC Members are expected to:

1. Contribute intellectual resources through collaborative engagement in cancer program areas, including basic, translational, and/or clinical research;
2. Serve on designated Center program and review committees, Task Forces, etc.;
3. Participate in training programs, mentoring activities, seminars, journal clubs, and faculty recruitment;
4. Represent the MCC and its programs both within the community and at national and international meetings in an appropriate professional manner;
5. Provide periodically updated curriculum vitae and other information necessary for properly representing the status of MCC programs and participants;
6. Provide periodically updated NIH biographical sketch;
7. Acknowledge Cancer Center Membership in cancer-related publications (e.g. footnote stating “Member, Lucille P. Markey Cancer Center”).

Membership Process

A faculty member may request consideration for Membership at any time. Individuals interested in becoming a Member should submit the following electronically to Nathan Vanderford, PhD, at nathan.vanderford@uky.edu:

• A one to two page letter, addressed to Dr. B. Mark Evers, M.D., Director of the Markey Cancer Center, summarizing your cancer-related research interests and current activities. The link to cancer should be clearly stated. If you are currently collaborating with other cancer investigators—please summarize the collaborations.
• An application for membership (PDF, 86 KB). This includes a summation and documentation of professional interests and activities pertinent to cancer research.  
• An NIH biographical sketch, including the NIH “Other Support” Page if you have external funding. 
• An updated curriculum vitae.

Applications are reviewed by the Membership Subcommittee of the MCC Executive Committee and the program leaders for those programs most likely to benefit from a prospective Member’s involvement. Regular meetings of the Membership Subcommittee occur quarterly. The Membership Subcommittee will then make their recommendation to the Director.  The applicant will receive a formal letter of notification of the result of these proceedings. 

Duration, Review and Renewal of Membership

Membership in the MCC is intended to remain in effect as long as the designated Member remains actively engaged in cancer-related research and is contributing to the overall success of the Center and its associated programs. 

Membership status will be reviewed annually by the Membership Subcommittee. This requires submission of an updated curriculum vitae or NIH formatted biosketch, along with an updated summary of activities related to the MCC. 

Membership status will be programmatically reviewed no less frequently than every two years by the Membership Subcommittee. Recommendations for any adjustments in programmatic alignment or categorical assignment of membership will be forwarded to the MCC Director for final approval.