Role of Unit

To liaise with the cancer research community to ensure that data generated across different organisations by laboratory and clinical cancer research databases can be integrated. Many of these issues are international and a central role of the Unit is to work with the US National Cancer Institute Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (NCI CBIIT) and the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) to encourage the use of standardised datasets and exchange mechanisms that will eventually allow the linking of different cancer research datasets.

The NCRI Informatics Management Board oversees the strategic direction of the initiative. A Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel has been established to provide the Informatics Management Board with expert advice on a range of scientific and technical issues. In addition a Task Force represents the views of the scientific, medical and informatics communities.

Methods of Working

The NCRI Informatics Management Board will meet 4 times per year, approximately every three months. The NCRI Informatics Management Board will report to the NCRI Board. The terms of reference for the Informatics Management Board are as follows:

• To ensure that the strategic direction of the NCRI Informatics Initiative, as set in the business case approved by the NCRI Board, is maintained;
• To approve implementation plans and budgets prepared by the Director (with the help of the Coordination Unit);
• To monitor progress against objectives and milestones set in the implementation plans, and to take corrective action if necessary;
• To consider and if appropriate agree funding for recommendations from the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel;
• To provide the forum to which the Director is accountable;
• To report to the NCRI Board at least once every 12 months.

The NCRI Implementation Task Force will meet regularly, ideally every two months. The Implementation Task Force will report to the NCRI Informatics Management Board. The first meeting of the Task Force was held on the 23rd June 2004.

The Scientific and Technical Adivsory Panel will meet for the first time in October 2007 to agree their terms of reference and method of working. Further details will be available soon.

Consultations

From time to time the NCRI Informatics Coordination Unit will publish discussion and consultation papers to facilitate input from a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties. Details of active consultations will appear as news items at: www.cancerinformatics.org.uk.

Size of Unit

The NCRI Informatics Coordination Unit currently consists of a Director, a Section Head - Community Alliances, a Section Head - Platform Development, 1 IT Analyst, 2 Developers, a Creative and Communications Officer, a Team Secretary and 1 Programme Manager.