Cancer Center Membership
Research Member Guidelines
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center research membership inclusion is subject to rigorous reviews by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is largely provided to investigators who hold current NCI and/or cancer-focused funding from other National Institutes of Health (NIH) or peer-reviewing agencies and/or are major contributors to leading UNC Lineberger clinical trial efforts.
The research membership also includes promising new early-stage investigators meeting specific criteria. UNC Lineberger extends invitations for applications following a nomination by a current member, a request from the Executive Director, or a request by an individual themselves.
Research Members are generally aligned to one of the eight research programs within UNC Lineberger, and only Research Members are included in the P30 Cancer Center Support Grant that bestows UNC Lineberger the NCI designation status as a comprehensive cancer center.
Research members are full-time UNC faculty and/or other faculty at collaborating institutions actively participating in basic, translational, clinical, or population sciences research. Research members must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Principal investigators whose cancer-focused/relevant research is funded by a peer-reviewing, extramural funding agency as defined by the NCI. NIH-funded research from an institute other than the NCI must meet stringent criteria for cancer focus/relevance and must be deemed as a minimum of 50% cancer focused by UNC Lineberger leaders.
- Principal investigators who hold cancer-focused/relevant research from a non-peer-reviewing agency may also be considered to meet membership criteria, but their award must be a minimum of two-years and at least $100K in direct costs/year.
- Investigators who play a significant role as a co-investigator with other UNC Lineberger members as evidenced by co-investigator status on externally funded, cancer-focused/relevant research grants (minimum average of 25% effort in the preceding three years) and contributed to cancer-focused, peer-reviewed publications in the last three years.
- Principal investigators on a cancer-focused/relevant, individual NIH K-award (e.g., K01, K08, K22) or other career-development awards (e.g., ASCO, AACR, V Foundation).
- Early-stage investigators recruited by UNC Lineberger or receiving UNC Lineberger start-up support but do not have extramural support yet; early-stage investigators would be given three years to meet one of the other criteria for Research membership. If after three years an early-stage investigator has not met the other criteria for Research membership, the leadership will review the investigator’s progress to determine if they remain a research member or are recategorized as an Associate member.
- Principal investigators on actively accruing, cancer-focused/relevant, interventional research studies.
- UNC Lineberger clinical investigators who significantly enroll individuals to interventional clinical research studies; the expectation is 10-15 accruals per year.
- Faculty who serves in a UNC Lineberger clinical or research leadership role as determined by the UNC Lineberger Executive Director.
Within the UNC Lineberger, there are many other faculty who contribute to the multi-faceted mission of the cancer center (e.g. patient care, education). For faculty who do not meet the Research membership criteria described above but who have a career focus in cancer, they will be designated as Associate members. Associate members are not included in the P30 Cancer Center Support Grant.
Should an individual meet Research membership criteria at any time, they can be reconsidered for inclusion as a Research member. UNC Lineberger leadership will review all members annually, but if an individual wants to be considered earlier for recategorization, they should contact the Associate Director of Administration.
Benefits of being an Associate member include:
- Access to UNC Lineberger-supported Shared Resources at subsidized member rates for up to one year; if after one year, the individual does not meet criteria for Research membership, subsidized rates for the Shared Resources would be discontinued or extended for one additional year in selected circumstances after leadership review.
Given these are new membership policies as of 2026, no changes will be made to Associate members receiving UNC Lineberger-supported subsidies in FY27. Discontinuation of subsidies will begin July 1, 2027.
- Eligible for support by UNC Lineberger’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Office of Cancer Research Training and Education, and Clinical Trials Office.
- Inclusion in UNC Lineberger distribution lists for funding opportunities, cancer news, symposia, retreat, seminar, and other meeting announcements.
Benefits of Research Membership
- Eligible for allocation of cancer center research space; priority access to UNC Lineberger-supported shared equipment and facilities.
- Eligible to apply for pilot project research funding offered by UNC Lineberger.
- Priority access to UNC Lineberger-supported Shared Resources at subsidized member rates.
- Eligible for support by UNC Lineberger’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Office of Cancer Research Training and Education, and Clinical Trials Office.
- Inclusion in UNC Lineberger distribution lists for funding opportunities, cancer news, symposia, retreat, seminar, and other meeting announcements.
- Access to the services provided by the UNC Lineberger Grants Development Office (proposal development, pre-award budgeting, etc.).
Responsibilities of Research Membership
All UNC Lineberger members are expected to contribute to the mission and growth of the Cancer Center through support of Cancer Center activities. The responsibilities of membership include:
- Work with other UNC Lineberger members to develop programmatic and interdisciplinary cancer-related research that furthers the scientific goals of the Cancer Center and lead to collaborative publications and research grants.
- Participate in Cancer Center events including research program meetings, retreats, seminars, symposia, committees and disease-based working group meetings.
- Agree to the policies and requirements of the UNC Lineberger Protocol Review and Monitoring System and Data and Safety Monitoring Plan for conducting clinical research.
- Participate as a reviewer for UNC Lineberger’s intramural pilot projects initiative.
- Acknowledge UNC Lineberger, use of Center space, use of UNC Lineberger-supported Shared Resources, and other support from the Center in cancer-related publications and presentations.
- Participate in the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) application process to the NCI.
- Participate as a research mentor to students and trainees pursuing careers in cancer research through UNC and UNC Lineberger sponsored programs.
- Provide updated research information and progress, clinical trials information and accruals, other support, publications, CVs, and biosketches as requested, but no less than annually, to ensure that administration is up to date on all information needed for various reporting requirements.
Application, Selection and Review Process
To apply for Research membership, an interested faculty member must submit the following information to UNC Lineberger Administration through the application form:
- Completed UNC Lineberger online membership application form
- Current NIH Biosketch
- Current Other Support
All new applications are reviewed by the appropriate Program Leaders for which the individual researcher would be affiliated, and they would make a recommendation to the Executive Director.
All UNC Lineberger Research and Associate members are reviewed annually by the UNC Lineberger Membership Committee who determines if the current roster of members continues to meet eligibility. The Committee makes recommendations to the Executive Director for membership changes, and then members are notified if there is a change.
A Research member who recently (within a year) had a change in eligibility will be afforded a grace period, generally 18 months, before their membership is changed to Associate member or to non-membership. An Associate member can be reassigned to Research member at any point that they meet criteria.