The Georgia Cancer Coalition established the Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists program as the cornerstone of its research agenda. The goal of the program is to recruit to Georgia leading and nationally renowned cancer clinicians and scientists who are engaged in the most promising areas of cancer research. The selection of the scholars is closely aligned with the National Cancer Institute's “Extraordinary Opportunities in Cancer Research,” which has identified areas of discovery that hold promise for making significant progress against all cancers.
The objectives of the Distinguished Cancer
Clinicians and Scientists program are to:
The program is designed to assist Georgia's research universities, medical schools and nursing programs in recruiting top cancer researchers. The Georgia Cancer Coalition provides funding ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 per year for five years to institutions that recruit scholars awarded the title of Coalition Distinguished Clinician or Scientist. The funds may be used for any purpose (salaries, equipment, etc.) that advances the scholars' research. The Coalition has a contract with the sponsoring institution and the institution agrees to provide at least a dollar-for-dollar match to the Coalition's cash award (in-kind support qualifies for the match).
The Georgia Cancer Coalition releases a “Request for Applications” at least annually to educational institutions across the state. The institutions may submit applications for scholars who have been in Georgia less than six months or who they intend to recruit pending Coalition approval. Each application is reviewed by a team of peer experts appointed by the Coalition or by the Provost of one of eight designated medical or research institutions. The committee is convened by an appointee of the Board of Regents and staffed by a Coalition representative. The committee examines the scholars' history of grant funding, publications and patents, and compares the goals of the Coalition, the research priorities of the National Cancer Institute, and the strategic plan of the sponsoring institution with the scholars' application. Committee members rank scholars according to predetermined scientific and technical criteria, and discuss their rankings and recommendations.
The Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists are required to report to the Coalition on their research, funding history, publications, patents and presentations annually. In turn, the Coalition uses this information as the basis for its Milestones Report, first published late in 2003 and which will be compiled once a year in the future. Throughout the year, the Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists also acknowledge support from the Coalition in publications and presentations.
Data is being collected on each Distinguished
Cancer Clinician and Scientist including: