Shared Resource Management

6.0 Abstract: Shared Service Management
Shared Service Management ensures that the shared services meet and exceed expectations of investigators
at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCCC) and that each
shared service functions to enhance and accelerate the pace of discovery in cancer biology, immunology, cancer
mechanisms, populations science, and translational and clinical cancer research that meets the needs of patients
in our catchment area. UMGCCC supports seven shared services: Biostatistics, Flow Cytometry, Genomics,
Imaging, Pathology and Biorepository, Translational Laboratory, and Structural Biology. Dr. Nicholas Ambulos
serves as the associate director for Shared Services and as director of the University of Maryland School of
Medicine (UMSOM) Center for Innovative Biomedical Resources which houses the UMSOM core facilities. This
dual role enables him to manage these complimentary sets of state-of-the-art resources without duplicating
services. The shared service management team also includes Mr. Robert Mitchell, associate director for
Administration; Dr. Richard Eckert, UMGCC deputy director and associate director for Basic Science; Dr. Rena
Lapidus, assistant director for Shared Services (AstDSS); and three administrative staff. A key to successful
shared service management is open and transparent communication with UMGCCC leadership and
investigators. Multiple mechanisms allow users to provide critical feedback. Each shared service has a Faculty
Oversight Committee (FOC) that meets twice annually, sponsors user surveys, provides mechanisms for web-
based feedback, and presents lectures on the shared services to key stakeholders. Communication enables
users and shared service directors to work as partners to acquire new, cutting-edge instrumentation and to offer
new services. UMGCCC provides considerable financial support for shared services, including salary support,
direct operational support, funds for pilot grants that use the shared services, and funds for purchasing new
instrumentation. UMGCCC has invested $25 million in funding during the past 5 years to help procure state-of-
the-art instrumentation for most shared services. In return, the share services create a dynamic environment in
which the shared services accelerate the pace of research and provide innovation to enable discoveries that
lead to new diagnostics and therapeutics. Shared services impact all five research programs, providing support
for basic discovery science, translational research, clinical trials, and clinical care. Integration within the
University of Maryland Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) enables UMGCCC members to
access ICTR funds, which can be used to purchase shared services. Shared service management guides
strategic planning to develop future services and technologies, and works with shared service directors, users,
and UMGCCC leadership to determine the best mechanisms for procuring new technology.

Grant Number: 5P30CA134274-18
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Ambulos