SPHERE Cancer CAG – Future Strategy and Direction
Background
The SPHERE Cancer Clinical Academic Group (CAG) is funded via a Cancer Institute NSW Translational Research Capacity Building Grant July 2021- June 2026. Currently, the Cancer CAG is focused around four broad strategic areas: Poor Outcomes Cancer, Living Better With And After Cancer, OMICS into Clinical Practice and Unwarranted Variation in Clinical Care. Each area is led by an established, senior researcher and/or clinician from across the SPHERE network. This funding ends in June 2026. Each focus areas receive funds for employing mid-career researchers as a component of the grant.
Purpose of survey
The aims of the Capacity Building Grant are to increase cancer research capacity and foster a collaborative culture of research across NSW and beyond. In preparation for a possible future funding opportunity in late 2025 for funding by July 2026, the Cancer CAG is proposing to review and revise its current strategy and is seeking input from the broader membership through this survey and subsequent Big Ideas workshops. The survey is intended to identify the following:
- The current research strengths across the SPHERE Cancer CAG membership
- New potential strategic areas of focus, including nomination for possible leadership opportunities in the strategic areas
- Interested members who would like to contribute to the strategy via targeted workshops in mid to late 2025.
To ensure we capture a representative range of responses, we encourage all stakeholders to complete the survey (~10mins completion time). The survey is not anonymous, as we intend to use the responses to contact interested parties.
Survey closes: 2nd of May 2025.
Important details
It’s important to note that no decisions have been made regarding future strategic directions, and we welcome all suggestions and feedback. Where suggestions have been made in the survey, this is indicative of feedback received to date and are not exhaustive suggestions. If we haven’t captured or addressed an area you believe to require capacity building or focus, please let us know.
If you have an interest to lead a strategic area of focus, we’d encourage you to complete the survey, and to provide high level details of your vision. It should be noted that SPHERE is a network of multiple academic and health institutions, and areas of focus should consider the broad geographic footprint of SPHERE and not be institution specific.
If you are not interested in leading an area of focus but would like to be involved in the strategic discussion relating to direction of the Cancer CAG, your attendance at workshops planned for later in 2025 is encouraged. Please indicate your interest in the survey.
Cancer CAG Leadership
The Cancer CAG will also call for EOIs to lead the CAG from June 2026. Anyone interested in considering this role, should reach out to Prof Geoff Delaney ([email protected]) for an informal discussion. EOI’s will be managed by the SPHERE Central Operations Team over the coming weeks.