Shared Resource Management (SRM) is critical to demonstrating the scientific, operational, and strategic value of shared resources (SRs) within NCI-designated Cancer Centers, particularly during quinquennial Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) renewal. SRs provide advanced technologies, specialized expertise, and coordinated infrastructure that support basic, translational, and clinical research. Within this framework, SRM advances three core aims: sustaining state-of-the-art resources, centralizing operational and financial management, and fostering innovation to meet emerging scientific needs. This paper examines SRM through the following aims, highlighting its importance for CCSG preparation, institutional competitiveness, and adaptation to a changing NIH funding landscape. Despite evolving review expectations and funding uncertainty, effective SRM remains essential to cancer center resilience and research excellence.
Shared resource facilities are foundational to the scientific productivity of National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers, yet institutional silos frequently constrain member access to specialized instrumentation and expertise. Interinstitutional consortia of shared resources offer a pragmatic solution, enabling reciprocal service access at internal rates while preserving institutional autonomy. Here we describe two established regional consortia, the Mid-Atlantic Cancer Center Shared Resource Consortium (MACCSRC) and the Fred Hutchinson/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center Consortium—examining their organizational frameworks, operational outcomes, and lessons learned. Finally, we introduce the recently organized National Alliance for Cancer Center Shared Resources and discuss how it may serve as an integrating infrastructure connecting regional networks on a national scale. Key considerations for consortium formation, including governance, intellectual property, pricing harmonization, and cost allocation, are addressed.
Shared Research Resources (SRRs) are indispensable to modern cancer research, powering discovery through advanced technologies, specialized expertise, and strategic scientific partnership. At NCI-designated Cancer Centers, their role has expanded from core service platforms to drivers of innovation, rigor, and translational impact. In 2024, this evolution led to the creation of the National Alliance of Cancer Center Shared Resources (NACCSR), a national collaboratory uniting Shared Resource leaders to advance best practices, strengthen partnerships, and shape the future of the field. The articles in this special issue highlight key priorities including metrics, management, data and metadata stewardship, cross-institutional collaboration, and emerging technologies. Together, they position SRRs as essential architects of the next era of cancer research-one defined by innovation, reproducibility, FAIR data, and collective impact. NACCSR stands poised to help lead that transformation.
This column highlights recently published articles that are of interest to the readership of this publication. We encourage ABRF members to forward information on articles they feel are important and useful to Clive Slaughter, UGA School of Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences, 1425 Prince Avenue, Athens GA 30606. Email; cslaught@uga.edu or to any member of the editorial board. Article summaries reflect the reviewer's opinions and not necessarily those of the Association.
The shift toward the shared scientific resource model (core facilities) has resulted in a growing scientific workforce whose roles extend beyond technical expertise to include customer service, business management, and leadership soft skills. Competency in these areas is critical to success, but formal training is rare, making mentoring, coaching, and job shadowing essential tools for professional development and career sustainability within core facilities. Two professional associations, the Association for Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) and Core Technologies for Life Sciences (CTLS), have developed mentoring and job shadowing programs to address these needs. The ABRF Mentoring Program, launched in 2016, has undergone multiple iterations, revealing key lessons around flexibility, mentor recruitment, expectation setting, relationship building, and the limits of highly automated platforms. In parallel, the CTLS Mentoring Program, initiated in 2022, emphasizes low barriers to participation, informality, and external perspectives. Both programs note reciprocal learning between mentors and mentees as a valuable outcome to program participation. Complementing mentorship, the CTLS Job Shadowing Programme provides short, immersive, peer-to-peer experiential learning focused on facility operations and management, yielding bidirectional benefits for both visitors and hosts. These initiatives are valuable member benefits for their respective professional associations. Their success highlights the important role of human connection in professional growth and demonstrates that lightly structured, community-driven programs with continuous feedback can effectively support diverse career paths in core facilities. As core facility careers continue to expand, these programs will remain critical to building a resilient, skilled, and interconnected research infrastructure workforce.
