Research We Fund: Extramural Discovery Science

Community Research Partners Participation on Grant Peer Review Committees

Background

Since its beginning in 1946, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Research and Training Program has invested more than $5 billion in the fight against cancer, and we remain the largest private, nonprofit source of cancer research funds in the United States. The ACS has played a role in most major cancer research breakthroughs in recent history, as exemplified by the 50 ACS-funded investigators who went on to become Nobel Laureates. The ACS Extramural Discovery Science team has more than 700 multi-year grants in effect, totaling an investment of more than $450 million. 

The peer review process is at the core of ensuring that these funds are invested in the very best opportunities to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Cancer researchers and trainees at biomedical institutions throughout the US submit approximately 1,200 grant applications each year to the ACS, competing for funding across a wide variety of scientific research areas.

Each grant application is evaluated for scientific merit and relevance to cancer by a discipline-specific Peer Review Committee (PRC) composed of volunteer scientific reviewers (peers) who are experts in their fields. Each PRC contains one or more Community Research Partners who serve as full voting members to represent the patient/caregiver perspective. The role of the PRC is to identify the most outstanding applications for funding.

The Role of Community Research Partners in Peer Review

In general, Community Research Partners are individuals without formal scientific or oncology training who possess a strong interest in advancing cancer research. Community Research Partners bring with them intimate experience with the disease which could include, but is not limited to, being a cancer survivor, having a family member with cancer, or serving as a caregiver for a person with cancer or cancer advocate or thought leader.

The two main goals of Community Research Partner participation on PRCs are to:

  • Represent the cancer patient and caregiver perspectives in the peer review process
  • Cultivate advocates who will return to their communities with a unique story to tell about the value of our ACS Extramural Discovery Science program

Desirable Characteristics of a Community Research Partner

A potential Community Research Partner should:

  • Possess a willingness to embrace the broad perspective of cancer research used by the ACS in its grant funding process
  • Participate in required trainings for serving as a peer reviewer
  • Have demonstrated effectiveness in interacting with groups in a professional or educational capacity
Community Research Partners typically do not have advanced formal training in the scientific topics reviewed by the PRCs for which they serve. In instances where Community Research Partners possess professional credentials, they should not expect to participate in a PRC focused on areas directly related to their cancer research or health professional training. This is especially important for nurses and medical doctors with training in oncology or individuals with doctorate levels of education and expert training in the life sciences related to cancer research. Participation in a PRC closely aligned with a Community Research Partner's profession is viewed as a possible conflict of interest.
 
Employees of the ACS are not eligible to be Community Research Partners, nor are volunteer leaders, such as members of the ACS National Board of Directors.
 

Community Research Partners Time Commitment Requirements

Potential Community Research Partners should be able to commit to participating in ACS-sponsored training for newly selected Community Research Partners and serve as members of a PRC.

Applications for Participation

Those interested in becoming Community Research Partners in the ACS Extramural Discovery Science peer review process should email nominations to Sabrina Times.