The
Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center
at Baylor College of Medicine
Membership Guidelines
July 2007
Membership is open to all individuals who would like to promote the mission of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center (DLDCC). Our membership categories and specific criteria listed below have been created to better organize and facilitate the focus of our mission.
Research Members
Research Members of the Cancer Center must be active faculty or staff of The Baylor College of Medicine and meet one or more of the following criteria:
- P.I.s of peer-reviewed* cancer-related research grants at the BCM or an affiliated institution that are a component of the Cancer Center's programs or COREs.
- Active collaborators (either faculty or appropriate professionals with time commitments) named on such grants, whose active participation is required for cancer-related research.
- Investigators whose research efforts are focused on cancer, and whose research is an essential component of one or more of the Cancer Center's programs or COREs.
- Clinical investigators whose efforts include clinical cancer research participation (e.g., patient entry into clinical trials; submission of clinical materials to cancer research laboratories for research) in one or more of the DLDCC programs. Clinical Investigators must enroll at least 10 patients on clinical trials in any year.
The research membership category information will be used for reporting purposes for the NCI Core grant.
(*see last page for a definition of peer-reviewed research)
Associate Clinical Members
Clinical Members should have a Baylor College of Medicine appointment and have a significant professional commitment to cancer patient care or education. They must be clearly committed to participate in the development of the DLDCC mission at BCM or one of the affiliated institutions.
Associate Members
Associate Members will include those individuals who do not meet the above criteria yet are considered to be important components of the overall effort to advance the mission of the DLDCC based on their interactions with the Cancer Center. In addition, investigators at other institutions that work closely with Research Members can be Associate Members.
Honorary Members
Honorary Members will include those individuals in the community who have made significant contributions in terms of time, effort or resources to the DLDCC at Houston Texas.
Membership Privileges to All Members
- Will receive all Cancer Center publications including a newsletter, an annual report and will have access to additional Cancer Center information on a Center Intranet site that is not available on the world wide web site.
- Can attend conferences, seminars, and retreats sponsored by the Cancer Center at no cost.
- May receive an allocation of Cancer Center coordinated space to conduct research, education or patient care.
- May have access to Core Grant funds.
- May have access to private Cancer Center funds for cancer research and/or patient care activities.
- Will have priority access to and/or access to discounted fees for use of Cancer Center CORE facilities and services.
- Work with other members of the Cancer Center to develop and participate in research, education and clinical and service programs.
- Acknowledge Cancer Center membership in cancer-related publications and presentations.
- Notify Cancer Center Administration of cancer-related intramural proposals and/or extramural grant applications in which the member is or plans to be involved.
- Obtain approval of Cancer Center administrative offices prior to use of Cancer Center Resources.
- Provide information required for NCI Cancer Center Support Grant reporting.
- Participate in coordinated private fundraising activities.
Responsibilities of Membership
Review and Renewal of Applications
All new applications will be reviewed by the Membership Subcommittee a minimum of once a year with recommendations from the research program leaders. Membership recommendations will then to sent to the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center Director for approval. The Director has the final authority on approval, disapproval or termination of membership.
Members, Associate Members and Associate Clinical Members are required to submit an updated curriculum vitae or NIH formatted biosketch each year.
All Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center members regardless of category are periodically reviewed to determine the appropriate category of membership. The Membership Subcommittee normally conducts such reviews annually and may reassign membership categories based on current review of category criteria and member information. Members must meet all the criteria listed for new applicants in their current membership category or their membership status is subject for reassignment. All recommended changes will be forward to the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center Director for final approval.
*Definition of Peer Reviewed Research
To be considered as a "peer-reviewed" project or study, the responsible reviewing/funding agency or organization should meet the general NIH of peer-reviewed and funding. These include meeting three criteria:
- a peer-review system which uses primarily external reviewers and is free of conflict of interest,
- a ranking or rating system in the review process based on the scientific merit of the proposed research, and
- a funding system based primarily one the peer-review ranking or rating of the research application
Examples of Peer-Reviewing Agencies include:
- NIH
- Food and Drug Administration
- Howard Hughes Foundation
- Cancer Research Foundation of America
- American Foundation for Aids Research
- National Office – American Cancer Society
- National Science Foundation
- Environmental Protection Agency
- American Institute for Cancer Research
- Agency for Health Care Policy Research
- Central Office of the Veterans Administration
- Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
- Army, DOD, DOE, DOA and CDC cancer-relevant grants equal to NIH R01 in funding