About the Duncan Family Institute

The Duncan Family Institute serves to foster collaboration aimed at breaking new ground in cancer prevention. Scientists affiliated with the Institute are discovering the roles and effects of the interaction of biologic, genetic, environmental, behavioral and social factors in cancer development, investigating new medical and lifestyle interventions and the effect of the combination of these on reducing cancer risk, and increasing the pace of translation of discovery to the clinic and the community so that, ultimately, the benefits of our discoveries help reduce the overall burden of cancer.

The Duncan Family Institute aims to enable MD Anderson to:

• Become recognized as a premier center committed to cancer prevention research and practice with a specific goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer and its treatment.
• Emerge as a definitive resource for educating the public and health care professionals about state-of-the-art practices in cancer prevention, the critical role that research plays in advancing knowledge and increasing our ability to offer better options tomorrow.
• Train future generations of researchers and practitioners committed to cancer prevention and to the broader mission of improving and sustaining health.

The singular motivation driving this vision is a shared commitment to improve the outlook for those at increased risk for cancer, cancer survivors, their families and the general public. The Institute fosters a unique environment that attracts and retains multidisciplinary teams of world-class faculty and staff experienced in pursuing basic, translational, and clinical science.

The Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences is home to the Duncan Family Institute. With one of the most comprehensive cancer prevention programs in the world, the researchers and physicians of the Division are dedicated to increasing the nation’s focus on cancer prevention. Research in behavioral science, epidemiology and clinical cancer prevention, health services and health disparities are rapidly increasing the possibilities of preventing even more cancers. The Institute serves to bring together research and clinical colleagues to and engage broad and diverse expertise and foster innovative collaborations.

The Institute’s investments support novel research programs, critical research infrastructure, seed funding to advance new ideas and fellowships to develop the next generation of prevention scientists. The Scientific Executive Committee (pdf) is a standing committee advisory to the vice president of cancer prevention and population sciences. The Duncan Family Institute Executive Committee (DFI EC) provides oversight of the research and use of the philanthropic funds to ensure the excellence of the programs within the Institute. Members are the Vice President, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences; the Deputy Division Head, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences; the chairs of the five division of cancer prevention and population sciences departments; and the directors of the division’s and institute’s centers which are the Cancer Prevention Center, Behavioral Research and Treatment Center, Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship and the Center for Community-Engaged Translational Research; and the Vice President, Health Policy. The Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Executive Director, Research Planning and Development, is a non-voting member. Special Representatives may be added to the DFI EC in a non-voting capacity at the recommendation of the DFI EC members. Changes to the membership of the DFI EC may be made at the recommendation of the DFI EC to the Vice President, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences who has final authority regarding changes to DFI EC membership. The executive committee will:

• Establish guidelines for project and core resource funding
• Determine allocation of funds to projects and core resources
• Request and review progress reports from investigators funded by the Duncan Family Institute
         Approve allocation of subsequent year funding based on progress and productivity
• Guide research priorities and development of new programs
• Evaluate Duncan-funded programs
  
• Create standing and ad hoc subcommittees to address issues as they arise
• Recommend changes to executive committee membership to ensure the expertise to provide programmatic oversight is
         represented
• Serve as peer reviewer for seed funding proposals, fellowship applications and other proposals for funding