SCOR Facts

  • Over twenty communities covering a six-state area (FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA) with 80 sites (institutions, medical centers, private practices, and clinics)
  • Each community has a designated Community Responsible Investigator (physician and is called CRI) and Study Coordinator (nurse or research professional) responsible for clinical trial activity among physicians in the community
  • Over 230 physician members
  • Over 100 clinical research professional/nurses
  • Over 150 clinical trials available for the majority of cancers
  • Participation in NCI NCORP research bases who provide clinical trials to each physician:
    • Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (called Alliance)
    • ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (called ECOG-ACRIN or EI)
    • NRG Oncology (called NRG)
    • SWOG Cancer Research Network (called SWOG)
    • University of Rochester Cancer Center NCORP Research Base (called URCC)
    • Wake Forest NCORP Research Base (called WF)

SCOR Operations Center Facts

  • Central administrative office located in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Oversight of day-to-day operation of the NCORP by a staff of eight employees
  • Educational programs provided to SCOR members (physicians, nurses, and research professionals)
  • Management of fiscal responsibilities for NCI funding
  • Monitoring of website for community access to information
  • Planning of site visits to each community for Quality Assurance and education
  • Assisting SCOR members to resolve problems and issues and determining which clinical trials are feasible for the community setting
  • Intense training of new research professionals held in Winston-Salem
  • Assisting SCOR members in preparation for research base Quality Assurance visits or audits
  • Providing electronic clinical trial mailings twice a month for communities
  • Updating every other month of a Protocol Index by Disease Category (called PIDC) booklet which contains a listing of all available NCI clinical trials
  • Attending research base meetings to keep current on clinical trials

History of Southeast Clinical Oncology Research Consortium

SCOR Leadership

Principal Investigator

Judith O. Hopkins, MD
  • 30+ years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA
  • Oncology training from Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Clinical Associate Professor of Hematology/Oncology with Wake Forest University School of Medicine
  • Board certified in internal medicine
  • Board certified in the subspecialty of medical oncology
  • Specializes in care of breast cancer patients
  • Medical Oncologist for Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Medical Oncologist with Novant Health Cancer Institute in Kernersville, NC
  • Who’s Who of American Women
  • Who’s Who in America
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology Community Research Award
  • University of Virginia Alumni Distinguished Service Award
  • Serves on numerous NCI, research base, and local committees and boards plus actively involved in local church
  • PI Cancer Care Delivery Research (called CCDR)

Principal Investigator

William J. Irvin, Jr., MD
  • 12 years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, VA
  • Oncology training form the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC
  • Medical Oncologist at Bon Secours Cancer Institute at St. Francis in Midlothian, VA
  • Director of Clinical Research, Bon Secours Cancer Institute, Richmond, VA
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Board certified internal medicine
  • Board certified in the subspecialties of medical oncology and hematology
  • Specializes in the care of breast cancer patients
  • Bon Secours Sister Elizabeth Durney Award
  • Susan G. Komen for the Cure Career Catalyst Award
  • Serves on numerous research base and local committees and boards

Principal Investigator

Joseph Daniel Pennington, MD PhD
  • Nine years of experience in radiation oncology
  • Medical degree from Vanderbilt School of Medicine in Nashville, TN
  • Doctor of Philosophy degree from University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England
  • Radiation oncology training at University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA
  • Radiaion Oncologist at the Bon Secours Cancer Institute at Reynold’s Crossing in Richmond, VA
  • National Institutes of Health Intramural Medical Scientist Training Program Award
  • He has a strong focus in genitourinary cancer which includes prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancers

Co-Investigator

Judy A. Tjoe, MD, FACS
  • 20 years of experience in surgical oncology
  • Medical degree from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine in San Francisco, CA
  • Surgical oncology training from Mount Zion Comprehensive Cancer Center with the University of California, San Francisco in San Francisco, CA
  • Clinical Adjunct Professor with the Department of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, WI
  • Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor with the Exercise Science Program in the Physical Therapy Department at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI
  • Board certified in general surgery
  • Board certified in breast ultrasound
  • Medical Director of Novant Health Breast Surgery Program in the Greater Winston-Salem Market in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Oncology breast surgeon at Novant Health Greensboro Breast Surgery Clinic in Greensboro, NC
  • Specializes in the care of breast cancer patients
  • Milwaukee Magazine’s Top Doctors for General Surgery 2019
  • Top Doctors of 2019: Global Directory of Who’s Who
  • America’s Top Surgeons 2018
  • Serves on numerous research base and local committees

Co-Investigator

Kimberly S. Strickland, MD
  • Three years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC
  • Oncology training from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA
  • Board certified in internal medicine
  • Board certified in the subspecialty of medical oncology and hematology
  • Medical oncologist at Novant Health Cancer Institute in Charlotte, NC
  • Focus is the care of breast cancer patients

SCOR Operations Center Staff

Administrator

Michelle Harmon, BSN, RN
  • 20 years of experience in oncology research
  • Nursing degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • Overseees clinical trial implementation and coordinator of quality assurance within the 24 communitites for the following research bases:
              ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group
              NRG Oncology
  • Coordinates Cancer Advocacy Advisory Board (CAAB) which is composed of patient advocates
  • Assists in administrative activities

Research Project Specialist

Susan S. Tuttle, RN, CCRP
  • 40+ years of medical oncology research experience
  • 15+ years of administrative experience
  • Nursing degree from North Carolina Baptist Hospital School of Nursing
  • Oversees administrative, financial and Human Resources for SCOR Operations Center
  • Oversees clinical trial implementation and quality assurance within the 24 communities for the following research base:
    • Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance)

Grants Management and Membership Coordinator

Kim Fulton
  • 20+ years of research and 10+ years of research management experience
  • Maintains financial management of the NCORP grant award
  • Monitors new community and physician SCOR membership
  • Oversees SCOR Annual Conference and marketing aspects of SCOR
  • Coordinates NCI required audits
  • Assists with Human Resources matters

Research Coordinator

Jessica Hynes, BS
  • Clinical Research degree from Campbell University
  • Oversees clinical trial implementation and coordination of quality assurance within the 24 communities for the following research base:
    • SWOG Cancer Research Network
    • Wake Forest (WF) NCORP Research Base
  • Coordinates activities involving the SCOR Health Equity Committee

Regulatory Coordinator

Katya Tullos, BS
  • 5+ years as a Data Manager
  • Information Systems BS degree from Salisbury State University, MD
  • Manages all research base protocols
  • Serves as reference person for access to research base websites
  • Provides annual accrual reports to NCI

Administrative Coordinator

Linda Wall, AA
  • AA degree in Commercial Art, Advertising, and Graphic Design from Johnson Community College
  • Responsible for maintaining SCOR directory, website, and other administrative tasks

Young Investigators

Early to mid-career oncologists with an interest in becoming leaders of SCOR

Young Investigator

Demetria Ileana Strauch Jacks, MD
  • Six years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from Medical University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Charleston, SC
  • Oncology training from Mayo Clinic in Florida in Jacksonville, FL
  • Board certified in internal medicine
  • Board certified in subspecialty of medical oncology and hematology
  • Medical Oncologist at Novant Health Cancer Institute in Winston-Salem, NC
  • Specializes in care of head and neck, thoracic (lung and esophagus) and skin cancers

Young Investigator

Rachna Raman, MD, MS
  • Ten years of experience in medical oncology and hematology
  • Medical degree from from Patna Medical College in Patna, India
  • Master of Science degree from University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH
  • Oncology training from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, IA
  • Completed the University of Cincinnati Master of Science degree program in Clinical and Translational Research
  • Board certified in internal medicine
  • Medical Oncologist and Hematologist at Bon Secours Cancer Institute at St. Mary’s in Richmond, VA
  • Staff oncologist at Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center in Midlothian, VA and Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, VA
  • Specializes in breast cancer; gastrointestinal cancers such as colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic and stomach; and genitourinary cancers such as prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular; as well as lymphoproliferative disorders such as leukemia and lymphoma

Young Investigator

Sean M. Warsch, MD
  • Five years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, FL
  • Hematology/Oncology training at Jackson Memorial Hospital with University of Miami in Miami, FL
  • Board certified in internal medicine
  • Board certified in the subspecialty of medical oncology and hematology
  • Medical oncologist with Messino Cancer Centers in Asheville, NC
  • Chair of the SCOR Health Equity Committee

Young Investigator

Dipika Misra, MD
  • Eleven years of experience in medical oncology
  • Medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA
  • Oncology training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, NY
  • Board certified in the subspecialties of medical oncology and hematology 
  • Medical Oncologist at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, Nc
  • Specializes in the care of breast cancer patients

Young Investigator

Michael Batalo, MD
  • Information coming soon…