The following are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this document:
Responsible Cancer Institute Official: Deputy Director
Responsible Office: Office of Research Administration
Administrative Contact: Carlos Diaz
Email: ResearchDevelopment@cancer.ufl.edu
Contact Phone: 325-273-5981
The University of Florida Health Cancer Institute (UFHCI) exists to organize promote and support the growth and enrichment of all areas of cancer research at the University of Florida. Cancer Institute membership is available and encouraged for all University of Florida investigators holding a faculty appointment and actively engaged, or demonstrate interest, in cancer-focused basic, clinical, translational, and population-based research in alignment with Cancer Institute’s mission and strategic plan. Eligibility and privileges are based on the applicant’s current level of cancer-focused research and affiliation with UFHCI. Research activities of the institute are organized into defined programmatic areas. Current UFHCI research programs are Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO); Cancer Targeting & Therapeutics (CTT); Immuno-Oncology & Microbiome (IOM); and, Cancer Control and Population Sciences (CCPS).
Application Process
The current Cancer Institute application is located on the UFHCI website. On the Research Programs page is a complete description of our Research Programs, Leaders, Specific Aims and current membership. Faculty who complete and submit an online application with all requested information fulfilled will be evaluated for membership on an individual basis.
For faculty interested in joining the Cancer Institute it is important that before you submit your application please be sure to read and understand the complete Membership Policy, and each program’s mission and research focus. Please complete all required fields, including which research program you feel your research best aligns
with, and submit the following attachments:
- Current NIH Biosketch that includes the public myNCBI link
- Current Curriculum Vitae
- A completed Cancer Relevance statement form
The cancer relevance statement should highlight how your current research is cancer focused. The link to cancer should be clearly stated and should contain sufficient details on impactful publications, research, and how the work is related to cancer or contributes to the overall mission of the Cancer Institute. This is necessary in order for reviewers to get a full understanding of your past and current research contributions.
By applying for Cancer Institute membership, you grant permission for the UFHCI Office of Research Administration to access your UF research portfolio. These data will be used in the membership review process and administrative reporting for Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) as required by the National Cancer Institute.
Application Review
Submitted applications from faculty will be reviewed by Cancer Institute Research Administration to ensure completeness and then forwarded to the Deputy Director for initial review. The Deputy Director, or designee, will send the application to the Program Leader(s) and copy Associate Director of the program most relevant to current research interests indicated in the application for approval of programmatic research alignment.
The candidate’s application will be presented by the program’s Associate Director at the UFHCI weekly Executive Committee meeting and a recommendation for Institute membership and membership level will be made by the committee to the Cancer Institute Director for approval. The Director has final authority on approval, disapproval, or termination of membership. The new member will be contacted by the Cancer Institute Director, Program Leader(s) and the Cancer Institute Research Administration office to welcome the member into the institute. The Program Leader will announce the new member at the following monthly Senior Leadership meeting.
Membership Categories
The two categories of membership are Full Member and Associate Member. An individual’s level of membership is determined based on the eligibility requirements defined by Cancer Institute Leadership, as described below:
Full Member
Full Members are faculty who are actively participating in basic, translational, clinical, or population-based cancer-relevant research on a regular and ongoing basis, and are making contributions to the mission of the institute through their cancer-related research activities. Although the expectation is that most members will hold peer-reviewed funding, members without peer-reviewed funding may contribute to Research Programs in a number of ways. Criteria for Full Membership include the following:
Perform cancer-relevant research as a major focus of their professional career; plus, at least one of the following:
- Have current peer-reviewed extramural support for their cancer relevant activities, or
- Serve as PI of an active investigator-initiated interventional trial (IIT), or
- Serve as the national chair of a multi-site interventional clinical trial, or
- Hold a key UFHCI leadership or team science position (e.g. shared resource leader, biostatistician supported by cancer-relevant grants, etc.)
- Is an early-stage investigator* on start-up funds or career-development awards
Associate Member
Associate members are faculty who are developing cancer-related research projects or collaborations, senior faculty changing career focus, active clinical investigators involved in clinical trial accrual activities, faculty who play key roles in ongoing advising or consulting activities through a supporting role, or who otherwise contribute to the mission of the Cancer Institute, but do not meet the criteria for Full Membership. Associate members typically meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Individuals who play a significant scientific role as team science member or as co-investigators in support of externally funded research projects with other Full Members
- Individuals who have active membership in scientific meetings organized by cancer-related associations (e.g., AACR, ASCO, ONS, ACS, ASH, ASTRO, etc.) and have presented nationally in the last two years prior to applying for membership
- Clinical researchers actively collaborating with Full Members, but have themselves not developed clinical protocols
- Clinical researchers who contribute to patient accrual in cancer-related clinical trials
- Individuals who contribute to furthering the Cancer Institute’s mission through community engagement, education and/or philanthropic activities
Other considerations
Non-Faculty or individuals who are engaging in cancer focused research with cancer relevant peer-reviewed funding that do not meet the above outlined criteria, or who provide significant contributions to the Cancer Institute mission will be reviewed and considered on a case by case basis and evaluated for membership at the discretion of the Director.
*Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) are full-time faculty within the first five (5) years of initial academic appointment, with one of the following:
- Have a UFHCI commitment of funds, resources, and/or space as part of a recruitment package
- Have an academic rank of assistant professor, research assistant professor, or clinicalassistant professor
- Be eligible to apply as a Principal Investigator for external peer-reviewed funding from national agencies (e.g., NCI, NIH, ACS, DOD, NSF)
ESIs are encouraged to apply for full membership.
At the discretion of the Director, the ESI term can be consecutively extended for up to an additional five (5) years.
For purposes of reporting to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), full members and selected other members shall be included in the CCSG.
Benefits and Privileges of Membership
Benefits for members are based on the current membership level assignment, which can change between the levels based on individuals active cancer focused research activities. Based on research interests, all UFHCI members are encouraged to actively participate in one of three UFHCI research programs: MOO; CTT; IOM; and CCPS.
All UFHCI members, regardless of level, are invited to participate in regularly scheduled UFHCI scientific seminars, retreats, and symposia. Each program conducts monthly research meetings and all members are encouraged to attend and participate in efforts of the Program Leadership to stimulate collaboration among program members, and between the different programs.
Full Member Benefits:
Full Member benefits include ALL Associate Member benefits as well as:
- Co-pay support for Flow Cytometry & Confocal Microscopy and Next Generation Sequencing Shared Resources
Associate Member Benefits:
- Access to UFHCI program meetings
- Access to UFHCI Research Pilot programs
- UFHCI twice annual traditional Pilot program
- UFHCI Special Call Announcements
- Access to UFHCI Research Program Pilot program
- Access to UFHCI A1 Accelerator Award program
- Access to Florida Consortium of NCI Centers Program funding opportunities
- Access to Biostatistics and Quantitative Sciences, Flow Cytometry & Confocal Microscopy, and Next Generation Sequencing Shared Resources
- Access to clinical research support services
- Participation in disease site-specific clinical practice and research teams
- Collaborative funding opportunities
- LOI, grant and publication support
- Scientific Enrichment and Scholastic opportunities:
- UFHCI Oncology Grand Rounds
- Topics in Cancer Seminar series
- General membership retreats and symposia
- Community engagement opportunities
Term of Membership
Membership is reviewed annually for level, program alignment, and cancer-relevancy. Changes to membership are made by the deputy director based on data provided by administrative staff and presented to the EC for their awareness. Ultimate changes are approved by the director. Level changes or program re- alignments are communicated directly with the affected members.
The term limit for associate membership is 3 years. In the event an associate member does not participate in cancer-relevant activities as defined by significant publications, grant submissions, extramural funding, or programmatic collaborations during the 3 years of membership, the membership will be terminated and the faculty will be encouraged to reapply. Full membership continuation is contingent upon maintaining requisite eligibility for full membership at the time of appointment. Failure to do so may result in a reassignment to associate member status.
Responsibilities of Membership
Members of the UFHCI are expected to actively participate in cancer-focused research and collaborate with other Cancer Institute members. Responsibilities of membership include the following:
- Participate in Cancer Institute leadership opportunities:
- Service on committees
- Scientific leadership for Shared Resources
- Clinical trial participation
- Research Program engagement and Working Group involvement
- Annually submit an updated NIH Biosketch
- Acknowledge membership in UFHCI, the use of institute space, Shared Resources, and other assistance as appropriate, in research publications
- Participate in symposia, seminars, and presentation of original science
- Make commitment to interdisciplinary research efforts
- Co-authoring with UFHCI colleagues in peer reviewed publications and grant applications, where applicable
- For members occupying UFHCI-controlled space, allocate the majority of the Center portion of the indirect recovered to the Cancer Institute
- For members occupying space not under the control of the Cancer Institute, allocate a percentage of the Center portion of the indirect costs recovered to the Cancer Institute
- Provide copies of cancer related grant/contract applications to facilitate institute planning for research programs and interdisciplinary initiatives
- Provide periodic updates of publications, research support, and other information that may be needed to fulfill requirements for NCI reporting requirements
- Submit all clinical research protocols through the UFHCI Clinical Research Office and for review by the SRMC (Scientific Review and Monitoring Committee) and DISC (Data Integrity & Safety Committee)
- Participate in Research Program meetings and retreats
- Serve on Cancer Institute committees
- The Cancer Institute Research Administration team will maintain membership information and facilitate recruitment of new members.
*As a member of the UFHCI, you grant permission for the UFHCI Office of Research Administration to access your UF research portfolio. These data will be used in the membership review process and administrative reporting for Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) as required by the National Cancer Institute. Furthermore, your GatorOne photo may be utilized for your UFHCI member profile. If you wish to update this photo, you can do so online.
