# Leadership, Planning and Evaluation

> **NIH NIH P30** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $665,729

## Abstract

ABSTRACT – PLANNING AND EVALUATION
The Lurie Cancer Center (LCC) has a well-developed system for planning and evaluation. As new LCC Director,
Dr. Platanias established a new Senior Leadership team, with well-defined roles and responsibilities: (1) Maha
Hussain, M.D. was appointed as Deputy Director, (2) Kathleen Green, Ph.D. as Associate Director for Basic
Sciences Research, (3) Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D., as Associate Director for Translational Research, (4) Milan
Mrksich, Ph.D. as Associate Director for Shared Resources, (5) Aleksandar Zafirovski, M.B.A., as Associate
Director for Administration and (6) Jeffrey Wayne, M.D. as Associate Director for Clinical Operations. Among the
Associate Directors continuing in their positions are (1) David Cella, Ph.D., for Cancer Prevention and Control
Research, (2) John Crispino, Ph.D., for Education and Training and (3) Alexis Thompson, M.D., for Equity and
Minority Health. This team works collectively as the Executive Committee (EC), which meets every two weeks
and is the primary decision making body that sets the overall strategic direction of the Center. The EC provides
direction in matters relevant to LCC operations, management, and policy and oversees all research activities. It
also sets budgetary and fiscal priorities and reviews LCC membership. CCSG support is requested for all Senior
Leadership positions except the position of Associate Director for Clinical Operations.
In addition to the EC, there are several other governance structures that provide the primary means by which
the LCC conducts planning and evaluation on an ongoing basis. These are the Scientific Research Council
(SCRC), the Clinical Cancer Center Executive Council (CCCEC), the Program Leaders Committee (PLC) and
the Internal and External Advisory Boards. The SCRC includes the Associate Directors and all Program and
Shared Resource leaders/directors, and meets quarterly to review initiatives and provide input for research
programs, shared resources and training/education. The PLC, a new committee established by Dr. Platanias,
meets monthly to discuss joint initiatives within and between programs and provides important input to the EC.
The External Advisory Board (EAB) is comprised of recognized leaders in clinical, basic and population sciences,
biostatistics and center administration, and meets at least annually to review all aspects of LCC operations and
initiatives. After his appointment as Director, Dr. Platanias increased the number of EAB members and made
several new EAB appointments with input from other senior leaders. Additional planning input is provided by
retreats, other Center advisory committees, surveys and ad hoc reviews. With careful planning and critical input
from the different advisory groups, the Director initiated a new five-year strategic planning process, reorganized
center research program membership, and created working groups to continue improving oversight and
governance. These coordinated teams provid...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9982884
- **Project number:** 5P30CA060553-26
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** LEONIDAS C. PLATANIAS
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $665,729
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9982884

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9982884, Leadership, Planning and Evaluation (5P30CA060553-26). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9982884. Licensed CC0.

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