Bridging the Gap Between Researchers and Community Members
Community Scientist Program
Community Scientists collaborate with researchers to ensure community perspectives are incorporated throughout the research continuum, from topic identification to study design and dissemination of findings.
Our cohort of up to 10 UF Health Cancer Center Community Scientists includes community members who are cancer survivors and represents various backgrounds. Community Scientists can range in age from 17 to over 90 years old and live in both rural and non-rural areas in the center’s catchment area. The group may also include young adult cancer survivors. All Community Scientists have completed certification on research methods, UF procedures and cancer-specific topics.
UF Health Cancer Center Community Scientists are assigned to each research program, attend meetings to encourage ongoing bidirectional communication and participate in the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board. They participate in 12T3 meetings, in which novel research concepts are discussed and considered for pilot funding, and in the Scientific Review and Monitoring Committee process. They also review clinical trial protocols and make recommendations about participant engagement, informed consent language and study procedures. Community scientists also review OneFlorida+ cancer studies.
Meet Our Community Scientists
In Memoriam
Meet Our Program Coordinators
Our program coordinators act as a bridge between the study team and our Community Scientists, while also coordinating and ensuring that your experience with the program is smooth and enriching for your study.
Isabela da Silva Andrade
Jacqueline De La Cruz MPH
Understanding Community Scientists
Community Scientists and patient advocates are community members whose goal is to improve health outcomes that are relevant to patients and their families.
Although operating in distinct realms — Community Scientists in research and patient advocates in clinical care — both provide valuable feedback about the acceptability of proposed interventions, materials and engagement strategies, with the goal of enhancing the impact of research and care.
Community Scientists are available for consultation to UF Health Cancer Center researchers to support study development across all phases of the study lifecycle, ensuring a patient-centered perspective and community-engaged research design.
Community Scientists
Community Scientists undergo training in research design, as well as cancer-specific trials through a cancer research curriculum developed by the UF Health Cancer Center. They are certified in HIPAA and trained on UF procedures for privacy and managing bias.
Community Scientists provide actionable recommendations from the perspective of the participant for proposal development, recruitment and retention strategies, informed consent language, and dissemination planning.
Community Scientists effectively support research teams by:
- Translating findings
- Creating practical solutions that improve participant experience
- Advising on the development of culturally appropriate protocols and recruitment tactics
- Sharing best practices across research networks
Patient advocates
Patient advocates provide guidance about patient rights and responsibilities and explain research and hospital policies and procedures in lay language to patients. They facilitate communication between physicians, scientists and patients. In addition, patient advocates provide feedback to improve the patient experience.
Patient advocates effectively supporting clinical teams by:
- Providing recommendations on projects and sharing their stories in public forums
Learn more
News and Events
Check out recent news and updates from the Community Scientist program.
Publications
Our community scientists are key collaborators and have co-authored a significant amount of publications.
Contact Us
If you would like to work with a Community Scientist or access our training curriculum, please use the contact form here to contact our team.
