Research Membership

Lab ImageAs outlined in the guidelines for NCI-designated Cancer Centers by the National Cancer Institute, an NCI designated Cancer Center promotes innovative and interactive research opportunities through the formation of formal scientific research programs and clinical working groups (CWGs), comprised of groups of investigators who share common scientific interests and goals and participate in competitively funded research. Programs and CWGs by their very nature should be highly interactive and lead to the exchange of information, experimental techniques, development and accrual to clinical trials, and ideas that enhance the individual productivity of scientists and often result in collaborations and joint publications.

Ultimately, the success of Programs and CWGs is measured by the emergence of productive collaborations. Formal or informal planning meetings, seminars and retreats, developmental funding of selected pilot projects, access to existing shared resources, development of new shared resources and key recruitments are used to promote increasing levels of interaction.

The functional and productive Programs and CWGs that characterize successful NCI-designated Cancer Centers are composed of individuals (Members) selected for their scientific excellence and, just as importantly, for their commitment to work together in a scientific community.

Eligibility for Membership

Individuals eligible for membership to the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) include UNM faculty associated with the Health Sciences Center or Main Campus Departments and Institutes, faculty from UNMCCC official consortium partner, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and affiliate institutions, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, and faculty from New Mexico State University.

Research Membership Criteria

The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) formally solicits applications for Members. Formal applications are required in order to prepare accurate tables for NCI reports, information for the External Scientific Advisory Board, and various grant submissions. UNMCCC Membership is formally recognized by the UNM School of Medicine. There are two categories of membership in the UNMCCC, 1) Full Members and 2) Associate Members. Membership is primarily derived from scientists and physicians across UNM and the consortium institutions who are actively involved in cancer-focused basic, translational, prevention, behavioral, and/or clinical research.

Full Members must meet one of the criteria listed below:

  1. Serve as a PI or Multi-PI on an external peer reviewed cancer-relevant grant or contract (peer reviewed as defined per the NCI P30 Guidelines);
  2. Serve as a PI or Multi-PI on a cancer-relevant sponsored research agreement;
  3. Serve as the national PI on a national clinical trial or an investigator-initiated clinical trial derived from program science;
  4. New faculty recruits who are developing independent cancer-relevant research programs;
  5. Serve as a Clinical Working Group (CWG) Leader;
  6. Serve as a Co-I an external peer reviewed cancer-relevant grant or contract (peer reviewed as defined (per the NCI P30 Guidelines) providing expertise in Bioinformatics or Biostatistics.

Full Members are expected to:

  • Maintain cancer-relevant peer reviewed grant funding;
  • Publish high-quality, cancer-focused papers in peer-reviewed professional journals;
  • Participate regularly in the interactive and collaborative programmatic activities, meetings, and retreats of the Cancer Center;
  • Use Cancer Center shared resources and cite their use in all publications as individual research dictates;
  • Submit all UNMCCC requested materials in a timely manner/by due date;
  • Participate in Cancer Center training and education programs;
  • Design and/or accrue patients on clinical trials (applies to faculty with clinical responsibilities);
  • Report on current trainees under your mentorship on a quarterly basis to the UNMCCC CRTECC.

New faculty recruits are also expected to:

  • Actively participate in organized mentorship with senior mentor(s) to support establishment of research independence and guide career development.

Full Members are reviewed annually and appointed for a one-year period. If a member no longer meets the criteria for Full Membership, they will be given a 2-year provisional period in order meet one or more of the criteria requirements. Newly recruited junior faculty have an initial 3-year provisional Full Membership in order to reach one or more of the criteria for full membership.

Faculty, who either make or have the potential to make significant contributions to the Cancer Center but do not meet the criteria for Full Membership, may be eligible for Associate Membership. This is a one-year membership category which will be reviewed annually. (Note that the granting of a renewed membership will be dependent upon demonstration of significant progress towards meeting the full member criteria and/or maintaining eligibility through key expertise helping the Program to achieve its aims and goals.)

Associate Members must meet one of the criteria listed below:

  1. Existing faculty developing cancer-relevant research programs;
  2. Faculty with key expertise that is relevant to the current mission, aims, and goals of the UNMCCC;
  3. Scientist from affiliated organizations that are helping the Program in achieving its aims and goals;
  4. Serve as a leader of a shared resource, who do not meet the criteria for full membership.

There are many benefits available to Members of the UNMCCC. They are outlined below:

  1. Discounts for Use of UNMCCC Shared Resources (via co-pay mechanism): Members receive discounts for use of UNMCCC Shared Resources (via co-pay mechanism, 20% for Full Members ONLY) supported completely or in part by the UNMCCC and the NCI. UNMCCC Shared Resources currently include Analytical & Translational Genomics, Behavioral Measurement and Population Science, Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Flow Cytometry & High Throughput Screening, Fluorescence Microscopy & Cell Imaging, Human Tissue Repository & Tissue Analysis, and KECK-UNM Small Animal Models & Imaging. For details, please contact Scott Ness (SNess@salud.unm.edu)

  2. Clinical Research Support: Members are eligible for receiving support from the Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Office and the clinical components, which are (1) Clinical Protocol & Data Management and (2) Protocol Review & Monitoring System. For details, please contact Valerie Parks (VParks@salud.unm.edu).

  3. Eligibility to Apply for Pilot Funds via Various Mechanisms through the Developmental Funds Program: Full Members are eligible to apply for funds via the various mechanisms of the UNMCCC’s Developmental Funds Program. These mechanisms, which are reviewed and revised annually, may include, postdoc and/or grad student matching funds, funds to develop large-scale, programmatic and/or Multi-PI grant applications, funds to assist in the utilization of UNMCCC Shared Resources, and other ad hoc mechanisms. Applications are peer-reviewed using internal and external reviewers. For details, please contact Alan Tomkinson (ATomkinson@salud.unm.edu).

  4. Access to Data Bases Maintained by the UNMCCC: Cancer Center Research Administration (CCRA) maintains databases containing details on members, funding support, publications, and NIH style biosketches (updated bi-annually). Such information is not only essential for NCI interactions, but for the development of joint grants and programs. UNMCCC members may request this information/copies of these materials for program planning and grant preparation purposes.

  5. Programmatic Grant Development Support: Cancer Center Research Administration (CCRA) provides planning and grant development support for cancer-focused, large-scale programmatic applications submitted through the UNMCCC (P01s, U01s, T32, SPORE grants, etc.). Individual faculty applications are supported by home Departments.

  6. Laboratory & Office Space: Members of the UNMCCC may request laboratory and office space within the Cancer Research Facility (CRF). All requests are reviewed by the UNMCCC Space Committee and Senior Leadership. Granting of requests is subject to need, availability, and whether or not granting of space in the CRF will further the mission and aims of the UNMCCC.

  7. Research Program Support: The Cancer Center Research Administration Office (CCRA) provides financial and staff support for Research Program meetings, seminars, retreats, workshops, etc.

In addition to the specific expectations outlined above under “Membership Categories & Criteria”, all UNMCCC Members, both Full and Associate, are expected to actively participate in and contribute to the collaborative cancer-focused research environment.

Specific responsibilities include:

  1. In order to assist with the required reporting for the NCI, all UNMCCC Members must be responsive to requests for funding, publication and other information requests from UNMCCC Senior Leadership, Program Leadership, and Administration. Additionally, all Members must annually submit a “Membership Profile” by December 15th, inclusive of:

    Membership Profile Requirements:
    • Updated NIH-style biosketch;
    • Active, pending and planned grants;
    • Summary of major scientific accomplishments;
    • Publications and Patents;
    • Shared Resource Utilization;
    • Collaborations with other UNMCC Members;
    • Collaborations with other NCI Designated Cancer Centers;
    • Training activities.

  2. Members are required to obtain PMCIDs and acknowledge the Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA118100) for all publications that receive direct cost support from the following CCSG components:
    • UNMCCC Shared Resources;
    • Pilot Projects supported by Developmental Funds;
    • Clinical Research Studies supported by Early Phase Clinical Research Support.

“This research was partially supported by UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant NCI P30CA118100”

For use of Shared Resources, go to the Shared Resources page for a list of Shared Resources and language to use for publication acknowledgement.

** All UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Members are required to submit a publication acknowledgement form to Cancer Center Research Administration (CCRA) prior to publication submission to the journal. This form can be found HERE. **

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  3. Members are required to participate in the following:
    • Attend a minimum of 50% of programmatic meetings, retreats, and other research events on an annual basis for the Research Program in which they are assigned or as requested;
    • Regularly attend the Director’s Lectureship Series seminars held on the 1st Monday of every month from 12:00-1:00pm in the Cancer Center Education Wing Auditorium;
    • Attend all UNMCC Retreats as requested;
    • If assigned to a Clinical Working Group (CWG), attend a minimum of 75% of the meetings if a clinical faculty, or if a basic/population scientist, attend CWG meetings as requested and/or appropriate;
    • Attend all Senior Leader, Program Leader, Working Group Leader and Shared Facility Director meetings as appropriate;
    • Participate in Cancer Center training and education programs;
    • Design and/or accrue patients on clinical trials (applies to faculty with clinical responsibilities);
    • Make independent, unique contributions to the goals of the Program.

Applications for membership must be submitted to the UNMCCC Office of Research Administration.

  • Application may be submitted by completing the online Application Form below, which provides for attaching your most recent NIH Biographical Sketch.

All Application Forms must include:

  1. Completed Application Form
  2. Most Recent NIH Biographical Sketch
  3. List of your Most Recent Funding Support
    A detailed funding support as required by NCI for each grant that includes:
    • Role in Grant: PI, Multi-PI, Co-Investigator, etc.
    • Funding Source: Agency (NIH, ACS, DOD, NIEHS, etc.)
    • Grant Number
    • Dates of Entire Project Period
    • Grant Title (as filed with Agency)
    • Current Year Annual Direct Cost
    • Current Year Total Cost (including Direct & Indirect)
  4. Description of your Cancer-Related Research:
    A brief (250-500 words) description of your cancer-related research (to be used for NCI applications and the UNMCCC website).

Application Form for Formal Appointment to the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center