Fox Chase Cancer Center Researcher Lauren Farnon Selected for Clinical Cancer Research Committee

Disease Site Research Manager Lauren Farnon has been selected as a member of the ECOG-ACRIN Clinical Research Associates Core Committee.

PHILADELPHIA (July 17, 2024) - Lauren Farnon, MSHS, disease site research manager for the Thoracic Cancer Program and the Head and Neck Cancer Program research teams, has been selected as a member of the ECOG-ACRIN Clinical Research Associates Core Committee.

"This opportunity is really exciting, I'm looking forward to it," said Farnon. "I'm excited about the educational aspect of this. That, and the fact that it's such a great feeling to be part of something bigger."

The Clinical Research Associates (CRA) Core Committee facilitates the development, coordination, and recruitment of clinical trials. It also creates educational materials, develops policies, and provides guidance for EGOC-ACRIN trials. These roles are crucial, and immensely benefit the clinical research associates, clinical research coordinators, and data managers that work alongside the CRA committee.

ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group was formed in 2012 through a merger of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network. The organization is devoted to researching all facets of cancer and the corresponding experience, with the overall goal of decreasing burden and increasing the survival and quality of life for cancer patients.

Farnon began her tenure at Fox Chase three years ago with goals that dovetailed with those of ECOG-ACRIN. "I started as a data specialist, and I am now in a management role. During this time, I have worked with ECOG-ACRIN a great deal," Farnon said. This combination of experience will allow her to serve the team as both a data expert and a support to other team members working on clinical trials.

Clinical trials are immensely important in the field of medicine. They are a critical part of developing new medications and treatments, expanding existing solutions to new populations, and finding better and more effective ways to combat, treat, and prevent illness.

Farnon's role at Fox Chase is multifaceted and includes managing two teams of nurses, coordinators, and data specialists overseeing treatment trials within the Thoracic and Head and Neck Cancer Program. She also serves as a member of Friends of Fox Chase and the Data Validation Committee.

Prior to her tenure at Fox Chase, Farnon received a graduate degree in health science with a concentration in clinical and translational research from George Washington University and earned her bachelor's degree in biology from the Pennsylvania State University.