Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS): Coordinating Center

Abstract
Cancer genomics aims to improve our understanding and treatment of all cancers by identifying differences in
DNA sequence and gene expression between tumor cells and normal host cells. Cancer genomics has
contributed to many advances in treating several cancers, but the field is limited by a lack of genomics data. The
Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS) Network will promote and support
research on direct participant engagement approaches to address these gaps, especially among rare cancers,
highly lethal cancers, cancers with an early age of onset, cancers with high disparities in incidence/mortality, and
cancers among under-represented minorities.
Our team wishes to contribute to the important work of the (PE-CGS) Network by serving as its
coordinating center. We have the necessary faculty, resources, and experience to address the needs and
goals of the Network by supporting network coordination, promoting effective and equitable outreach and
promotion, and establishing and disseminating network best practices. In addition to meeting all the requirements
of the RFA, we bring innovation by establishing Participant Engagement Community (PEC) by applying the
principles of community-based participatory research and by promoting a diverse pool of future scientists,
especially those from underrepresented groups through a Summer Scholar Program and by two post-doctoral
positions that will be supported by our comprehensive cancer center.
Our proposal for the coordinating center is focused around four specific aims. First, we will effectively
manage administrative and scientific coordination of the PE-CGS network. This will include providing
administration/coordination, governing all advisory, organizing meetings/site visits, fostering collaboration,
dissemination and implementation, and coordinating communication. Second, we will foster effective and
culturally appropriate outreach and promotion activities. We will establish a common branded, public relations,
communication resources, facilitating interactions, and managing outreach. Third, we will develop and
disseminate network best practices and data collection/processing standards. We provide support for participant
engagement and cancer genome sequencing activities, establish data standards, ensure data are accessible to
the public, data are appropriately shared, and support efforts to make the Network sustainable. Finally, we want
to address health disparities and promote equity throughout the Network and ensure there is a diverse pool of
future scientists, including those from underrepresented groups, to support future efforts in participant
engagement and cancer genomics. We envision that the network will need to evolve to address emerging issues
in participant engagement and believe that being based in a university setting will provide us the capacity to
anticipate and address these issues as they emerge. We are strongly supported by the OSU College of Medicine,
the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the OSU Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

Grant Number: 5U24CA252977-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: John Bridges