Infographics »
The infographic program focused on connecting Community Scientists and LCC scientists to develop more approachable and community-centered research material. During small group meetings between the paired Community Scientists and LCC Basic Scientist facilitated by CHET Director, Dr. Melissa Simon, LCC Basic Scientists received valuable insight from Community Scientists regarding (1) the accessibility of the language with which they explain their work and (2) the applicability and significance of their research to the communities that Community Scientists themselves serve. During these meetings, Community Scientists and LCC Basic Scientists worked together to develop concise, accessible, and relevant descriptions of LCC Scientists’ research that could be incorporated into infographics. Further group meetings focused on revising the bespoke infographics with feedback from both LCC Basic Scientists and Community Scientists. These infographics will be kept in a library and will be used by both Community Scientists and LCC Basic Scientists for outreach and community engagement efforts in the future.
Metal Project »
The Metals Project began in 2022 as a response to anecdotal community concerns and the Environmental Protection Agency’s documentation of disproportionate exposure to heavy metals (including mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic) in the Chicagoland area. Neighborhoods on the South and West side of Chicago are hypothesized to have higher levels of heavy metal pollution from sources such as highways, lead pipes, and industrial waste, which negatively affect human and environmental health. Two hundred healthy volunteers were recruited at community events throughout Chicago, and participants agreed to provide buccal swabs and sociodemographic data in support of the research initiative. Analysis of the collected samples is underway by LLC bench scientists. Our team of Community Scientists have been critical to informing the design, implementation, recruitment, and dissemination activities necessary to safeguard the community centric emphasis for this project.
“The Community scientists affected the design of our study. We had intended to collect DNA as well as buccal samples but they cautioned that this could be difficult in their community due to concerns about identifying people (immigrants, for example) based on DNA. Because of their suggestions, we modified the project to include only buccal samples. I’m convinced we had a positive response because of their input. In addition, they suggested several places where we should go to collect samples and they were all good suggestions and successful.” – Gayle Woloschak, PhD (from Metals Project team)
Community Scientist Program »
“Community Scientists” refer to persons who are not formally trained as scientists but who are trained to engage in research efforts responsive to community needs. Community Scientists serve the dual roles of bringing community involvement and external expert scientific advice to research initiatives. This program will help bridge the divide and increase Lurie Cancer Center’s (LCC) transdisciplinary capacity for engaging in bidirectional linkages between Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) related activities, community stakeholders and LCC priority research programs. Community Scientists will provide different views and experiences and will help foster science teams to better articulate and frame their research with respect to a grounded and more culturally responsive approaches relevant to, and mindful of, the LCC catchment area and cancer disparities.
Thus, this project aims to develop, pilot, and evaluate a Community Scientist brigade that will spend a minimum of one year assigned to the LCC’s Basic Science, Population Science and Five (5) Disease Teams from LCC’s Clinical Trials Office (CTO) Programs. Each cohort of Community Scientists will have a unique set of deliverables based on the priorities of each program. Findings from this program will be shared with LCC’s researchers and across the larger NCI Cancer Center Consortium as a model to improve engagement of community members within catchment areas with basic and translational science teams. The proposed Community Science program will improve LCC’s basic and translational science programs through science that is better informed and focused on our catchment area and the diverse underserved populations that bear the brunt of cancer disparities.
The Community Scientists affected the design of our study. We had intended to collect DNA as well as buccal samples but they cautioned that this could be difficult in their community due to concerns about identifying people (immigrants, for example) based on DNA. Because of their suggestions, we modified the project to include only buccal samples. I’m convinced we had a positive response because of their input. In addition, they suggested several places where we should go to collect samples and they were all good suggestions and successful.
– Gayle Woloschak, PhD (Metals Project Researcher)