Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center LAPS Institutional Collaboration

ABSTRACT The overarching goal of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) is to leverage research expertise to reduce the overall incidence, burden, and mortality from cancer in Greater Philadelphia and beyond. SKCCC goals are realized through unique strengths in addressing cancer problems through collaboration across basic, clinical, and population research disciplines. SKCCC is a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center nucleated at the Jefferson Health-Center City campus and enriched by fully integrated regional research sites. Building on these strengths, SKCCC focuses on nurturing transdisciplinary research, expanding innovative research capabilities, extending outreach and clinical research into the community, and enhancing the pace of bench-to-bedside discovery. The Jefferson Health system has expanded and now includes a system of 18 Hospitals treating more than 10,000 new cancer cases annually. The SKCCC catchment area includes Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks counties in Pennsylvania, and Camden and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. Philadelphia's highly diverse population, with numerous socioeconomic, racial, and health challenges characteristic of major northeastern cities, shapes SKCCC research priorities and outreach. At any given time, hundreds of research studies are underway at the cancer center, ranging from basic laboratory research to clinical assessments of new treatments to meet the needs of this diverse population. Many of these studies are collaborative, involving other cancer centers or partners in industry and the community. The overall objective and goal of this proposal is to enable SKCCC to continue to participate as a Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) in the NCI National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN) Clinical Research Program. This goal will be achieved through providing scientific leadership for development and execution of NCTN trials complemented by an integrated and collaborative research program. The SKCCC has an established and well-supported infrastructure to nurture discoveries that advance our fundamental knowledge of cancer biology and implement them into the community. As an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, SKCCC addresses the cancer needs of a diverse population through integration of laboratory and population-based clinical research, engagement of the community in relevant research, community outreach, and education regarding clinical trials. We propose the following specific aims in this LAPS application: Specific Aim 1: Deliver and enhance access to the most advanced cancer care through participation and dissemination of NCTN initiatives including trials for rare tumors across the SKCCC. Specific Aim 2: Promote and support the scientific leadership within the NCTN. Specific Aim 3: To foster junior faculty investigators’ career development through NCTN participation in both NCTN/NCI committee engagement and as key contributors to conceptual protocol designs.