For Researchers
Scientists in the Meyer Cancer Center are motivated by a desire to understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. Yet for many of us, there is a gap between what we do at the bench or in the clinic and how it impacts the lives of people in the community. The Research Advisory Council aims to bridge this gap so that researchers can learn from patients and community members about their needs, discuss research discoveries, and design their research questions to have the greatest impact on the Meyer Cancer Center community.
Why might a researcher engage patients and community members? Here are just a few examples of potential impact:
- Receive feedback on how a proposed clinical trial might affect quality of life for patients or caregivers
- Understand what the cancer journey is like for patients and survivors, and identify potential areas for intervention
- Engage with community members on cancer prevention and screening projects
- Obtain letters of support for grant applications
Learn more about the expectations and how to get involved.
Who we are looking for
There are two ways for researchers to get involved in the council.
As a member: We are looking for researchers – faculty and trainees – that are interested in engaging with lay people about science and research. Member researchers would attend all council meetings and help patients and community members understand the discoveries and projects that are being discussed.
As a presenter: We're looking for researchers who are interested in telling lay people about their research and learning from their experiences with cancer. You might present so that you can obtain feedback on a grant proposal or to hone your skills as a communicator. Please note that researchers must present to the Research Advisory Council if they are interested in being connected with a community member for a letter of support for a grant. To be sure that you have sufficient time for scheduling, contact MCC at least 3 months prior to the grant deadline.
For both of these roles, no experience is necessary.
Training for researchers
Patients and community members have valuable experience to share with researchers. However, lay people do not always speak the language of research. To help researchers present their work in a way that is accessible to a lay audience, a coach will work with researchers to review their presentation before any presentation to the Research Advisory Council.
Regular Council activities
The council meets monthly (in-person preferred). Council members are expected to attend all meetings. Researchers that have signed up for an ad hoc presentation will be assigned a date to present recent discoveries or new projects for feedback. Council members will be invited to ask questions and engage in open, informal discussion with researchers about their work.
Please note that researchers must present to the Research Advisory Council if they are interested in being connected with a community member for a letter of support for a grant. To be sure that you have sufficient time for scheduling, contact MCC at least 3 months prior to the grant deadline.