Our Research
Supporting research partnerships with local organizations
Collaborating with Communities
Reaching specific populations is key to the success of research projects and clinical trials. However, challenges to participation can limit reach and retention. The Community Impact team offers technical support to help you overcome these challenges by developing outreach best practices.
In most cases, our services are provided free of charge as part of pilot work. Opportunities exist for staff and community resources in funding opportunities and are determined on a case-by-case basis.
We support researchers at every stage—from project design to community engagement to dissemination. Our team helps build community connections, develop strategies, and improve the reach and relevance of cancer research. Connect with our team.
Community Impact Assistance Includes
Community Impact
Build meaningful community partnerships to shape research design and outreach.
- Connect with community members with lived experience
- Evaluate local needs and project feasibility
- Ensure relevance and cultural fit for your audience
- Improve messaging with community insights
Strategy & Collaboration
Strengthen your project with strategic planning and expert connections.
- Develop outreach or research strategies with our team
- Connect with stakeholders, partners, and sites
- Integrate educational components into your study
- Consult with our advisory boards for feedback
Reach & Recruitment
Expand your research impact through targeted outreach and communication.
- Collect data through interviews, surveys, or focus groups
- Share your project with our statewide networks
- Report results back to the community effectively
- Expand your reach into new communities of interest
Community Impact Success
As part of an NCI supplement to conduct a needs assessment of our catchment area, the Community Impact (CI) team co-led the development of a multi-pronged recruitment strategy — using social media, mail, and in-person outreach — to survey our catchment area residents with a Cancer Control and Population Health research team. Through our vast network of community partners, we recruited 1,388 community members to take the survey.
Dr. Melissa Little (CPH) worked with CI to develop a list of community pharmacist contacts in rural Virginia to understand the feasibility of providing tobacco cessation through local pharmacies. The CI team connected with 77 community pharmacists to introduce the project and explain how their input would shape the intervention development. As a result, Dr. Little received pilot funding and is working on an R01 application.
“CI was instrumental in launching my research into the community. I can’t imagine trying to do this work without their assistance.”
~ Melissa Little, PhD
Community Impact Pilot Research Program
The UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, along with Community Impact, provides funding to support community-based research projects. The projects are reviewed by an internal team comprising Community Impact team members, Cancer Center investigators, and representatives from our Community Advisory Council.
2020 Recipients
Investigators: Wendy Cohn, Wang Yuh-Hwa
Area of Focus: Lung Cancer
Overview: Determine whether environmental/dietary chemicals can generate DNA breaks to lead to lung cancer (non-smoking) and identify hotspots of lung to determine association with known fragile site inducers.
Investigators: Li Li, Bhatnagar Sanchita
Area of Focus: Breast Cancer
Overview: Demonstrate that targeting TRIM37 will reduce disparate survival outcomes in African American women, or better identify patients most at risk for aggressive disease.