ABSTRACT The overarching goal of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) is to leverage research expertise to reduce the overall incidence, burden, and mortality from cancer in Greater Philadelphia and beyond. SKCC goals are realized through unique strengths in addressing cancer problems through collaboration across basic, clinical, and population research disciplines. SKCC is a NCI-designated cancer center nucleated at the Jefferson Health-Center City campus and enriched by fully integrated research components at Jefferson Health-Abington and Jefferson Health-Aria. Building on these strengths, SKCC focuses on addressing catchment area needs through nurturing transdisciplinary research, expanding innovative research capabilities, extending outreach and clinical research into the community, and enhancing the pace of bench-to-bedside discovery. The Jefferson Health system has expanded over the last 3 years and now includes a system of 12 Hospitals treating more than 8,000 new cancer cases annually. The SKCC catchment area includes Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania, and Camden County in New Jersey. Philadelphia's highly diverse population, with numerous socioeconomic, racial, and health challenges characteristic of major northeastern cities, shapes SKCC research priorities and outreach. At any given time, hundreds of research studies are underway at the cancer center, ranging from basic laboratory research to clinical assessments of new treatments to meet the needs of this diverse population. Many of these studies are collaborative, involving other cancer centers or other partners in industry and the community. The overall objective and goal of this proposal is to enable SKCC to participate as a Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) in the NCI National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN) Clinical Research Program. This goal will be achieved through providing scientific leadership for development and execution of NCTN trials complemented by an integrated and collaborative research program. The SKCC has an established and well supported infrastructure to nurture discoveries and processes that advance our fundamental knowledge of cancer biology and implementing them into the community. As an NCI-designated Cancer Center, SKCC addresses the cancer needs of a diverse population through integration of laboratory and population-based clinical research, engagement of the community in relevant research to identified challenges, outreach, and education regarding clinical trials. We propose the following specific aims in this LAPS application: Specific Aim 1: Deliver and enhance access to the most advanced cancer care through participation and dissemination of NCTN initiatives including trials for rare tumors across the SKCC. Specific Aim 2: Promote and support the scientific leadership within the NCTN. Specific Aim 3: To foster junior faculty investigators' career development through NCTN participation in both NCTN/NCI committee engagement and as key contributors to conceptual protocol designs.

Narrative The Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) funding opportunity is intended to provide infrastructure support for the conduct of national clinical trials through the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). The overall objective and goal of this proposal is to enable SKCC to participate as a Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) in the NCI National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN) Clinical Research Program. This goal will be achieved through providing scientific leadership for development and execution of NCTN trials complemented by an integrated and collaborative research program.