LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE Call for Expressions of Interest for membership of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre Committee: Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader Purpose Applications are invited from University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust staff who wish to be considered for Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre Committee. Background In August 2009, Cancer Research UK awarded Leeds a Cancer Research UK Centre, with funding of £4.5M over 3 years. The Leeds centre will build on existing world leading and internationally excellent research programmes to increase performance in cancer research at Leeds. Governance Structure A Cancer Centre Committee (CCC) leads the development of the Cancer Research UK Centre. It formally reports to the Joint Partnership Board (JPB), which is chaired jointly by the Vice-Chancellor and the Chief Executive of LTHT and provides the highest-level governance to collaborative initiatives between the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospital. The CCC also reports informally to the Biomedical and Health Centre Executive who are responsible for overseeing the integration of biomedical initiatives across the University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. The Committee is led by the CRUK Centre Chair, Professor Tim Bishop. The Cancer Centre activity is delivered within four research themes (Genetic and epigenetic factors in cancer causation and progression, Biomarkers and molecular pathology, Targeted therapies and Early clinical trials and randomised prospective trials) and three developmental themes, Chemical Biology, Systems Biology/ Medicine, and Radiation Therapeutics. Theme leaders are appointed to each of these themes and become a member of the CCC. Each theme leader chairs a sub-committee which reports to the CCC. The governance structure is illustrated in figure 1 below. Committee Remit The Cancer Centre Committee (CCC) is responsible for ensuring effective integration of established cancer research across the University and NHS and with the wider University and NHS research communities. The remit of the CCC will be: To oversee the delivery of the strategy for Cancer Research in Leeds To oversee University and NHS cancer research in Leeds and appropriate external links To provide excellent infrastructure for the research themes by resource allocation from CR-UK Centre core funds and by relating these to core resource allocations derived from the University, NHS and other funders To oversee allocations from Training and Development budgets LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE To oversee and ensure optimal access to resources (including the sharing of equipment and support staff) that are held within CR-UK or other funded cancer research programmes To take a strategic oversight of developments within the Centre providing advice and guidance to grant applicants to CR-UK and other funders To report formally to the JPB, and provide advice to the BHRC Executive to ensure coordinated activities across the whole cancer and biomedical and healthcare research communities within the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust. To oversee the Local Engagement and Development (LEAD) initiative To provide strategic scientific advice in the context of the external landscape relating to developments in cancer research Figure 1: Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre Governance Committee Membership The membership of the CCC will include ex officio members, scientific members and research theme leaders. Ex Officio Members The Chairman of the Cancer Centre The Director of the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine The Joint Directors of the Biomedical and Health Research Centre The Cancer Centre Research Manager The Cancer Centre Senior Nurse A Senior LTHT Manager of Cancer Services Two lay representatives CR-UK representative(s) Research Theme Leaders Priority Themes: Genetic and epigentic factors LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE Biomarkers and molecular pathology Targeted therapies Early clinical trials and randomised prospective trials Developmental Themes: Chemical biology Radiation therapeutics Systems biology/medicine Scientific Members Scientific Members of intentional standing are appointed to the committee to represent each of the following scientific fields: Laboratory cancer research Translational cancer research Early clinical cancer trialist Phase III cancer trialist Epidemiological cancer research Clinical practice cancer research The scientific members are responsible for providing strategic scientific advice in the context of the external landscape relating to their scientific field. Research Theme Leaders The role of the Research Theme Leaders is: To develop the scientific strategy for the research theme within the context of the Cancer Centre strategy To oversee allocation of resources relevant to the research theme To ensure the effective implementation of the research theme objectives To lead and promote research activity and initiatives within the research theme To provide advice in the context of the external landscape relating to the research theme To provide regular update reports to the CCC and other relevant stakeholders Appointment Process The appointment to the Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader role is for three years and will be made by an appointing panel comprising the Cancer Centre Chair, together with representatives of the chair appointment panel. Applicants should send CV and supporting letter to Professor Peter McWilliam, Faculty Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Worsley Building, Clarendon Way, LS2 9NL. For informal enquiries please contact Professor Tim Bishop (email D.T.Bishop@leeds.ac.uk; tel. 0113-206-4573).