Advancing collaborative cancer research
Building a productive, collaborative and supportive CCS research community that reflects and leverages Canada’s diversity while meaningfully engaging researchers, patients, caregivers, survivors and partners from conception to implementation.
Researcher engagement
As a partner in research, we are re-defining the funder-researcher relationship to enhance and expand opportunities for mutual benefit. Learn more about research showcases, the research newsletter, the Advisory Council on Research (ACOR), review panels and the Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT).
Patient and community engagement
We involve people with lived/living experience and from diverse communities in meaningful ways at each step of the research funding process – from setting goals and designing research competitions to reviewing applications – and strive to integrate equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility into all activities and outcomes. Learn more about how we engage people in cancer research funding, our Patient/Survivor/Caregiver Reviewer program, the Patient Engagement in Cancer Research Community of Practice and access resources for partnering with Indigenous peoples and underserved communities.
Building capacity in research
CCS commits to capacity building, the training of new researchers, as well as fostering equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) internally and externally. We are doing this by supporting the next generation of cancer researchers by investing in the recruitment and training of research trainees and instilling the value of patient engagement and inclusivity, to lay the foundation for a diverse research workforce. Learn more about the IGNITE training program and our partnerships with Black and Indigenous undergraduate research programs.
IGNITE program
The Innovation, Growth, Networking, and Interdisciplinary Training for Excellence (IGNITE) program was created to enhance the learning and knowledge exchange experiences of Research Training Award holders (RTAs) through activities like engagement, knowledge translation, mentorship and exposure to other fields.
Black and Indigenous undergraduate summer research programs
Since 2024 we have been partnering with established programs offering summer research opportunities to Black and Indigenous undergraduate students across Canada. These programs support students to gain exposure to cancer research and graduate school.
Our collaborations
We engage partners beyond the patient and researcher community – such as research funders, cancer agencies, foundations and industry – to broaden our reach, fill gaps in research knowledge and expertise, connect directly with end users and leverage our investments to fund more grants.
Memberships and networks
CCS is a member of a number of organizations that together work to help improve cancer control in Canada.
Our research partners
Our research partners help us design and develop relevant research funding programs and fund and support scientifically excellent, impactful cancer research. Together, we fund more ground-breaking research and provide more opportunities for learning, networking, knowledge-sharing and support.