Engagement in Research 101: Introduction to Engaging Patient & Community Partners in Research

Are you interested in learning about patient and community engagement and how it can benefit your research? Excited by the idea of engaging patient, community, or other partners in your research, but unsure about where to start? Want to know more about how to engage partners at different points throughout your study?

Engaging with patient and community partners who are impacted by your research can be instrumental to the success of your study. This online training will provide an overview of engagement in research, highlighting that engagement is not "all or nothing" or "one-size-fits-all", but instead encompasses a wide variety of low touch to high touch approaches that could be right for your study.

The session will cover common myths/misconceptions about engagement in research, benefits of and key considerations for engaging patient and community partners in research, and initial steps/existing resources you can leverage to begin engaging partners in your research.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC

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Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center's Office of Community Outreach and Engagement and the NC TraCS Institute’s Patient and Community Engagement in Research Program.

Great Idea, What's Next? FDA Strategy for Software, AI and Medical Devices

Presented by the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), in partnership with Caltech, this webinar connects regulatory expertise with translational innovation to help researchers move promising technologies toward real-world clinical impact.

Marlene Berro, MS, RAC, Director of FDA Affairs with the UCLA CTSI Office of Clinical Research, will provide practical, accessible guidance on navigating FDA requirements for software, AI, and medical devices.

Researchers, clinicians, engineers, and medical device innovators will learn when software is, or is not, considered a medical device; what may be marketed without FDA authorization; when a 510(k) or other premarket submission may be required; when to engage the FDA; and what evidence is needed to support clinical claims.

Through real-world examples, the session will explore how intended use, risk, validation, usability, and clinical oversight shape a successful regulatory strategy.

Ready to take your grant writing skills to the next level? Join us for Navigating the Grant Writing Journey: From Idea to Successful (Re)Submission.

This practical three-part workshop series covers all aspects of preparing applications for external funding, with a focus on NIH applications.

The three workshops will cover:

• General & strategic grantsmanship
• Effective communication
• Specific Aims & Research Strategy
• Budgeting & supporting documents
• Review and resubmission process
• Interactive roundtable discussion

The three sessions are designed to build on one another and cover the grant writing process as a whole. We encourage you to register with attending all three sessions in mind.

Sessions

10/14/2026 (2-5 p.m.): Effective Communication, General Grantsmanship, and Specific Aims
10/21/2026 (2-5 p.m.): Research Strategy, Supporting Documents, and Grant Review and Resubmissions
10/28/2026 (2-5 p.m.): Budgeting for Grant Proposals, Strategy & Grantsmanship, and Roundtable Discussion

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Featured Speakers

• Samantha Schwartz, PhD – Science Grant Writer, NC TraCS Institute
• Nate Warren, PhD – Research Development Manager, UNC Office of Research Development (ORD)
• Marina Sokolsky-Papkov, PhD – Associate Professor, DPMP, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy; Director, Translational Nanocharacterization and Nanoformulation Research Laboratory, Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery
• Rebecca Carlson, MLS, AHIP – Health Sciences Librarian and liaison to the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Katherine Howell, MSLIS – Health Sciences Librarian
• Amy Fry, BA – Carolina Cancer Nanotechnology T32 Training Program Coordinator and Grants Manager, Office of Research Administration, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Tim Flood, PhD – Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Corporate Communication, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
• Alan Marsh, PhD – Associate Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
• Nathan Blouin, MBA, CRA – Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Development
• Jason Franz, PhD – F32 Study Section Reviewer; Professor, Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering (UNC / NC State)

Questions? Contact Amy Fry at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Presented by: Carolina Cancer Nanotechnology Training Program (C-CNTP) and the NC Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute