Community Engaged Research

Community Engaged Research

The Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) Office works closely with the Community Cancer Action Council (CCAC) and liaisons from Wilmot’s three Research Programs to foster meaningful partnerships between investigators and the community. COE supports a variety of initiatives and services designed to advance community-engaged and catchment area–relevant research at Wilmot Cancer Institute.

Community Advisory Boards

Community Advisory Boards (CABs) provide valuable community insight to inform research conducted at Wilmot. CAB members—including cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and community members—contribute at various stages of the research process, from study design to implementation and recruitment.

Interested in joining a CAB or reviewing research studies? Please complete this form.

Services for Researchers

For researchers interested in any of the services below, please complete this form, or reach out directly to Emily_Hayes@urmc.rochester.edu.

• Engagement Consultations 
  • Protocol and study design review
  • Evaluation of recruitment, retention, and data collection strategies
  • Interpretation of catchment-area cancer data and community needs
• Community-Researcher Collaboration Support
  • Connection to existing CABs or community organizations
  • Guidance on forming new community advisory boards
• Translation & Dissemination 
  • Translation of study materials
  • Community-based promotion
  • Dissemination support via:
    • Community Conversations on Cancer webinar series
    • CCAC Annual Retreat

Community-Engaged Research Supplement Funding

The Wilmot Cancer Institute and the CCAC offer supplemental funding to Wilmot Research Program Members to promote the engagement of community members in active research projects. These funds help investigators strengthen the community relevance of their work and prepare for future extramural grant submissions aligned with catchment area needs.

Wilmot’s Communicating Cancer Science with Impact Workshop 

Co-led by COE and the Office of Cancer Research Training Education and Coordination, this half-day, in-person workshop is designed to empower researchers to effectively communicate their science to community members by providing practical tools and strategies for impactful engagement.

For more information, contact: Emily_Hayes@urmc.rochester.edu or Francisco_Cartujano@urmc.rochester.edu.