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UCC researcher to develop a third-level cancer care educational programme to support patients
A University College Cork (UCC) researcher will develop a programme that supports the education of current and future health-care providers who work with patients on their cancer journey, as part of a project to receive funding from the Health Research Board All-Island Cancer Consortium (HRB AICC) awards.
Led by Professor Josephine Hegarty from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the GENE-ONC Education programme will support healthcare providers and cancer patients by integrating the study of a person’s genes (Genomics) into routine cancer care through both undergraduate and continuing education programmes. Genomic information and data are increasingly used to inform diagnosis and the choice of treatment strategies supporting much more tailored approaches to the management of cancer.
In addition, it is estimated that up to 12% of cancers are the result of an inherited susceptibility to cancer in an individual. The combined efforts of the oncology multidisciplinary team will be required to reap the full benefits of preventive oncology and personalised medicine for patients and their families.
Furthermore, GENE-ONC will support cancer patients by:
- Co-designing cancer genomics units that can be integrated into undergraduate educational programmes for nursing, pharmacy and medical students.
- Exploring innovative and effective ways of teaching genomic concepts and making them interesting to students.
- Supporting the upskilling of lecturers and healthcare professionals so that they are confident to support student learning in cancer genomics.
- Once the programme is developed and tested, make it available freely to other educators.
Professor Hegarty explains how the €428,748 HRB funded programme will be implanted across third level institutions.
"In year one we will investigate what universities and colleges are doing in terms of teaching genomics and the genomic literacy levels of educators and clinical staff. In year two, we will co-create a cancer genomics educational programme with all stakeholders, and pilot test the programme for educators and clinical staff in one site. Taking the lessons learnt, the programme will be further refined, and in year three we will do a before and after evaluation of the programme across six higher education institutions in Southern and Northern Ireland."
Nationally, five projects are part of a pilot scheme that is designed to stimulate cross border and transatlantic cancer research and innovation. The AICC pilot scheme is a collaborative initiative between the Health Research Board and Northern Ireland’s HSC Public Health Agency. The AICC scheme re-stimulates all-island collaboration on cancer to advance cancer care and cancer research priorities and provide the opportunities to develop North-South and Ireland-US collaborations.
In March 2021, a new Memorandum of Association was signed which now serves as an enabling framework, supporting cancer care and cancer research priorities, and offering more opportunities to develop North-South and Ireland-US collaborations. The renewed Consortium builds on previous successes and provide an excellent framework to support national coordination of cancer research, which is one of the key research actions in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2025.
Mr Gavin Lawler, Programme Manager for the AICC scheme at the Health Research Board, commented: "We believe these projects will deliver significant improvements for cancer patients across the island of Ireland. The AICC awards required applicants to demonstrate value above and beyond any current research activities, collaboration or networking that is taking place."
Congratulating Professor Josephine Hegarty and her team on securing this important award, Professor Helen Whelton, Head of College of Medicine and Health said: “The GENE-ONC Education programme and Network addresses a critical need in the healthcare sector by enhancing the genomic literacy of current and future oncology healthcare providers. The initiative will make the subject of genomics more accessible to both students and teachers and will enhance knowledge and clinical practice.
Professor John F. Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation said: "Congratulations to Professor Hegarty and colleagues in the School of Nursing & Midwifery on securing one of these prestigious HRB consortium awards. This award will make a profound impact on the quality of care provided to cancer patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes and advancing the field of oncology."