Revised: 11/14/13
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Policy: MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES
SUMMARY
The control and periodic review of appointments of individuals as members of the cancer center resides solely
with the Deputy Director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC). The Deputy
Director will review the membership of the OSUCCC on an annual basis to ensure compliance with the cancer
center policy. Approval by the OSUCCC Director annually to coincide with the CCSG Progress Report.
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
All individuals applying for OSUCCC membership must have an active faculty appointment at The Ohio State
University or an affiliated university and be eligible for Principal Investigator status on research proposals (i.e.,
at the rank of Research Scientist or higher).
Associate Member: To obtain ASSOCIATE membership status in the OSUCCC, an investigator must be
actively seeking to develop or significantly contribute to cancer-focused research. The term of an ASSOCIATE
member is two (2) years, which may be renewable. It is expected that during this period, an associate member
will seek NCI or other peer-reviewed funding in cancer research as a Principal Investigator. Significant
contributions could be a PI of a cancer trial, being an essential team member of a cancer-focused team project
or being an essential contributor to authoring cancer-focused manuscripts. Cancer-focus as defined by the NCI
as follows: “Selection of members for a Center’s Programs is one of the most critical decisions made by leadership.
Functional and productive Programs select individuals for their scientific excellence and, just as importantly, for their
commitment to work together to further the scientific goals of the Cancer Center. Some Program members may not
hold peer-reviewed grants, but contribute to the research objectives of the Center in other important ways (e.g.,
development and implementation of Center’s clinical activity, including authorship of clinical protocols, accrual of
patients on interventional trials, and leadership roles in NCI National Cl inical Trials Network studies), and these
contributions should be recognized.”
The Associate member is also expected to actively participate in Program meetings, present research
seminars, work collaboratively on research projects within and among the OSUCCC Programs, use the
OSUCCC Shared Resources, attend the annual scientific meeting and if applicable, fully participate in our
mission to accrue patients to clinical trials. Renewal will be based on the level of participation in the program
and the contribution to cancer research the investigator has demonstrated.
Full Member: To obtain FULL membership status in the OSUCCC, an investigator must have an established
cancer-focused research program, be a Principal Investigator on an actively funded NCI or other peerreviewed, cancer-focused research grant or project within a multi-investigator grant (as defined by NCI
guidelines). Alternatively, a full member may be an investigator that makes substantial contributions to cancer
research. Significant contributions could be a PI of a national or investigator-initiated cancer trial, being an
essential team member of a cancer-focused team project or being an essential contributor to authoring high
impact cancer-focused manuscripts.
It is expected that full members will actively participate in Program meetings, present research seminars, work
collaboratively on research projects within and among the OSUCCC Programs, use the OSUCCC Shared
Resources and attend the annual scientific meeting.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To apply for membership in the OSUCCC, the investigator must submit the following information to the office of
the Director of Research Operations of the OSUCCC:



Completed OSUCCC membership application;
CV
Current research funding information.
Page 1 of 2
Revised: 11/14/13
This information will be reviewed by the appropriate OSUCCC Program Leader and, subsequently, by the
OSUCCC Associate Directors and Deputy Director for final approval.
NOTE: It is the OSUCCC policy that any individual accepting funds directly from the tobacco industry will be
ineligible to apply for membership in the OSUCCC. Further, existing members that posses or accept such
funding from a tobacco industry will immediately forfeit their membership and all associated privileges within
the OSUCCC. For the purpose of this policy tobacco industry funding includes: funds from a company which is
engaged in or has affiliates engaged n the manufacture of tobacco produced for human use; funds in the name
of a tobacco brand whether or not the brand name is used solely for tobacco goods; funds from a body set up
by the tobacco industry or by one or more companies engaged in the manufacture of tobacco goods.
The following do not constitute tobacco industry funding for the purposes of this policy:
1. Legacies from tobacco industry investments (unless the names of a tobacco company or cigarette
brand are associated with them).
2. Funding from a trust or foundation established with assets related to the tobacco industry but no longer
having any connection with the tobacco industry even though it may bear a name that (for historical
reasons) is associated with the tobacco industry.
The above is adopted, in part, from a draft resolution of the American Cancer Society.
PROGRAM ALIGNMENT
Full OSUCCC members are usually aligned with only one OSUCCC Research Program. If the research efforts
and funding of a member cross two Programs, the Director or his designate may allow alignment with more
than one Research Program. Associate members may only align with one program.
Members wanting to transfer between OSUCCC research programs must submit detailed written request to the
Deputy Director. The Deputy Director will consult with the appropriate Program Leaders and render a decision.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

All members will have multiple opportunities to interact within and among each OSUCCC Research
Program through events such as monthly program meetings, special seminars, PPG and SPORE
Development groups and at the Annual Scientific Meeting.

Biosketches on all members will be maintained and reviewed by the OSUCCC Awards Committee. This
committee will help target young and established investigators for potential cancer-relevant
regional/national and international awards;

All members have access to the shared resources and services of the OSUCCC underwritten by the
Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG). This includes preferential scheduling for all CCSG-sponsored
shared resources;

All members are eligible to apply for research space. FULL members will be given priority in the
assignment for laboratory space within the OSUCCC. Note: All grants/contracts for members in cancer
center research space will be managed through the OSUCCC Administrative Office;

All members are eligible to apply for internal OSUCCC funding opportunities, including intramural
research and REAP award opportunities;

All members will be placed on the e-mail distribution list that provides information on internal and
external funding opportunities, special seminars and updates to other OSUCCC activities.
Page 2 of 2