NCI's publication affiliation conundrum: Reframing innovation to incentivize an equitable path for advocate representation

Susan Samson; Jason J Northey; Irene Acerbi; Andrei Goga; Carl L Flink; Valerie M Weaver; Mark A LaBarge

doi:10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101325

NCI's publication affiliation conundrum: Reframing innovation to incentivize an equitable path for advocate representation

Transl Oncol. 2022 Feb:16:101325. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101325. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Authors

Susan Samson¹, Jason J Northey², Irene Acerbi², Andrei Goga³, Carl L Flink⁴, Valerie M Weaver⁵, Mark A LaBarge⁶

Affiliations

¹ Breast Oncology Program, Breast Science Advocacy Core (BSAC), University of California, San Francisco, 2340 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States; Physical Sciences and Oncology Network Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States. Electronic address: ssamson@pacbell.net.
² Department of Surgery and Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
³ Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States; Department of Cell and Tissue Biology and Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
⁴ College of Liberal Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
⁵ Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States; Department of Surgery and Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
⁶ Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, United States.

Abstract

Advocacy engagement has been at the forefront of National Cancer Institute (NCI) efforts to advance scientific discoveries and transform medical interventions. Nonetheless, the journey for advocates has been uneven. Case in Point: NCI publication affiliation rules of engagement pose unique equity challenges while raising questions about structural representation in biomedical research. Abiding by the core rationale that publication affiliation should be tailored to employment status, the NCI has systematically denied research advocate volunteers the opportunity to specifically list NCI as an institutional affiliation on academic publications. Unpacking advocate NCI publication affiliation restrictions and its links with advocacy heritage preservation and convergent science goals poses unique diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges and opportunities. Improving the quality of structural representation in biomedical research requires new theories of action and flexible planning to advance, promote and build capacity for strategic advocacy inclusion and equity within publication affiliation initiatives. Here we highlight several opportunities for how leadership might formulate a radically different vision for NCI's approach. This perspective interrogates the best way forward for ensuring that biomedical employee and volunteer advocate workforce publication affiliation intersections are characterized by increased creativity and representation parity. Imbuing the scientist and clinical researcher archetype with social dimensions, we join NCI critical thinkers in urging employees, funded academics, and volunteer citizen scientists to collectively assume the role as paladins of science and integrity who view the triumphs of making a difference in science alongside the social responsibility of promoting transdisciplinary professionalism and the democratization of science.

Keywords: Advocacy heritage preservation; Cancer research advocacy; Convergent science; Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I); Reframing innovation, NCI publication affiliation practices.

Abstract

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