CCN Map of NC

The Carolina Community Network


The Carolina Community Network (CCN) is a regional cancer network developed to reduce prostate, breast and colorectal cancer disparities among adult African Americans in North Carolina.

The CCN includes five resource cores based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and partners in the central and eastern regions of the state, who work together to increase the success of cancer prevention and treatment activities, increase the number of community members actively involved in clinical trials and other forms of research, and strengthen the community's knowledge of cancer risks and prevention.

The goal of the CCN is to combine the strengths of the community with resources and research expertise at UNC to reduce cancer disparities through education, research and training.

More Information: CCN Handout

Mission Statement and Goals

The mission of the Carolina Community Network (CCN) is to reduce prostate, breast and colorectal cancer disparities among adult African Americans by leveraging long-standing university-community relationships and the community-based participatory research expertise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to enhance and extend cancer education and research, research training, and cancer health policy in both secular and faith-based communities.

The long-term goals of the Carolina Community Network are to:
  • Improve utilization of beneficial cancer interventions
  • Increase the number of minorities in clinical trials and other forms of research
  • Strengthen the community’s knowledge of cancer disparities and treatment
  • Impact cancer prevention and control policies


Network Structure

The Carolina Community Network (CCN) involves researchers from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Center, the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. The CCN's infrastructure includes five resource cores, with specialized expertise in the areas of cancer education, community-based participatory research training, pilot studies, minority recruitment, and health policy and dissemination.

Partners


Steering Committee

The CCN Steering Committee is comprised of a diverse group of clinical scholars, researchers, community leaders, community-based participatory researchers, and our NCI program director. The committee is responsible for providing overall guidance and direction of the CCN. Specific committee activities include, but not limited to: reviewing and ensuring scientific soundness of project plans; guiding development and implementation of cancer control and prevention activities; reviewing and approving pilot research project plans and applications; prioritizing project needs; promoting collaborations; and facilitating interactions among the NCI, partners, and community populations.


Resource Cores

  • Administrative Core Paul Godley, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator
    Anissa Vines, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator
    Crystal Meyer, MPH, Program Manager
    Randall Teal, MA, Project Coordinator

    Contact information: cmeyer@email.unc.edu, 919-966-1082

    The Administrative Core provides scientific, administrative and fiscal oversight for all CCN activities. This core works closely with the resource cores and community partners to integrate the Network’s comprehensive education, training and research efforts.
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  • CBPR Training Core Alice Ammerman, DrPH, RD, Co-Core Leader
    Eugenia Eng, DrPh, Co-Core Leader
    Sonya Sutton, MA, Core Manager

    Contact Information: ssutton@unc.edu; 919-966-4118

    The CBPR Training core provides resources for community and academic partners to learn more about Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). The CBPR Training core seeks to increase the number of opportunities for academic and community researchers to master the CBPR approach and methods and to gain skills in building the capacity of communities, health agencies, and academic centers to function as equal partners in community-based cancer research, service and education. The Core also creates information-sharing links across the other CCN Cores and community partners to learn more about strategies conducting effective CBPR.
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  • Education Core Marci Campbell, PhD, MPH, Core Leader
    Carol Carr, MA, Core Manager

    Contact Information: carol_carr@med.unc.edu; 919-843-7830

    The Education Core provides culturally appropriate cancer education materials to targeted communities, identifies evidence-based interventions that could potentially reduce cancer health disparities, participates in the development of pilot projects and undertakes community-based participatory research projects to reduce cancer health disparities.
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  • Minority Recruitment Core Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, MPH, Core Leader
    Melissa Green, MPH, Core Manager

    Contact Information: mgreen@schsr.unc.edu; 919-966-7107

    The Minority Recruitment Core supports recruitment of minority participants into cancer prevention and control studies and assists investigators in developing culturally appropriate strategies for minority recruitment and retention.
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  • Community Research Core Anissa Vines, PhD, co-Principal Investigator
    Michelle Manning, MPH, Core Manager
    Brandolyn White, MPH, Community Outreach Specialist
    Trinnette Cooper, MPH, Interim Community Outreach Specialist
    Monica Hadley, BA, Research Assistant

    Contact information: mmanning@schsr.unc.edu; 919-966-4371

    The Community Research Core includes Community Outreach Specialists that identify and work closely with community-based organizations to address breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer education, prevention, and outcomes. This core provides small grants and other resources to community based organizations to help strengthen the capacity of community organizations to participate in cancer education and research projects. The Community Research Core also works closely with the CBPR Core to identify researchers interested in establishing a research partnership with a community organization to understand or improve the health of the community.
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  • Health Policy/Dissemination Core Bill Carpenter, PhD, MHA, Core Leader
    Bryan Weiner, PhD, Co-Core Leader

    Contact information: wrc4@email.unc.edu, 919-966-6328

    The Health Policy/Dissemination Core facilitates the diffusion of beneficial interventions that reduce cancer health disparities among CCN partners and provide health policy analysis tailored to combat cancer health disparities.
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