Abstract
Interinstitutional partnerships between cancer centers and minority serving, academic institutions provide opportunities to collaboratively and creatively address cancer health disparities. Key was defining the community leadership role of the academic institution. Cancer centers are uniquely equipped to understand the needs of patients by way of basic, population and clinical sciences along with best practices in cancer. Conversely, community-based, minority serving, academic institutions have a distinct ability to educate and train the scientists and researchers of the future, who can provide a culturally sensitive perspective. Under the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) rubric “Feasibility Studies for Collaborative Interaction for Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership (MI/CCP),” Fox Chase Cancer Center and Lincoln University embarked on a partnership of “working and learning together.”
The partnership is designed to train Lincoln students and faculty capable of conducting first-class biomedical and population-based research and to implement joint research projects that attack cancer health disparities. A secondary objective is to develop collaborative research projects enhancing Lincoln faculty's ability to pursue NIH funding to support discrete, specified, circumscribed projects in areas representing their specific interests and competencies.
The partnership utilized a community-based participatory research approach. Governance was established, a project manager was hired and committees were formed to facilitate the activities of the partnership. A collaborative grant was submitted by both institutions. Presidents and senior leadership from both institutions were committed and provided in-kind support for staffing and videoconferencing equipment. Forums for interdisciplinary and interactive teaching, learning and networking were provided for faculty, staff and students of both institutions as well as the community at large.
After a short planning period, a governance process was established and the grant was awarded. A10-week long summer internship program was developed for which 4 Lincoln students and 4 faculty mentors were selected annually. Three of the first four interns won awards for their research posters. Two interns were hired by Fox Chase. Two relevant academic courses were added to the Lincoln curriculum. Two joint faculty research projects were selected after a pilot competition. Fox Chase faculty provided several informative lectures at Lincoln. Other community partners were engaged. A memorandum of understanding was established with a third community-based organization further enhancing the P20 partnership.
The academic partnership has far exceeded its original expectations. The two institutions as well as other community members continue to work collaboratively to enhance the research and training objectives of the partnership. Not only have the Lincoln University faculty and students been educated in cancer research and training, but additionally the Fox Chase faculty, staff and students have been educated in the benefits and challenges of partnering with a community-based, academic institution. The collaboration continues to evolve and grow in both planned and unplanned directions.
Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B7.
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