THE GUIDELINES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE U.S.-JAPAN COOPERATIVE CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM
THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE AN D THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF SCIENCE
I. CENTRAL ORGANIZATION
Scientific Advisory Committee
As stated in the Agreement, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) appoint scientists from their respective countries in appropriate disciplines to a Scientific Advisory Committee. The Committee, consisting of approximately 10 members from each country, meet at least once a year in alternate countries to review progress in on-going projects, to discuss administrative and scientific problems under the Program, to suggest initiatives for new cooperative activities and to recommend necessary changes.
Program Areas
The program areas for the joint activities are recommended at the Joint Scientific Advisory Committee and are decided upon with the mutual concurrence of NCI and JSPS.
Program Coordinators
Each program area has the program coordinator appointed in each country. The responsibilities of the program area coordinators are:
Lines of Communication
Program area coordinators are requested to send copies of pertinent correspondence with his counterpart coordinator to his own implementing office.
Staff Meeting
As stated in the Agreement, responsibility for implementation and operation of the program and the activities carried out under the Agreement will be the mutual responsibility of the Director, NCI and the President of JSPS, or their respective designers. The staff from NCI and JSPS meet annually or as necessary to review and discuss matters of procedure for better cooperation to assist each other and participating scientists in solving problems, particularly those of an administrative nature which may tend to inhibit cooperation.
Reporting of the Program
NCI and JSPS annually or when necessary will publish a progress report. When the Joint Scientific Advisory Committee is held in the U.S.A., NCI is responsible for publishing the report and JSPS is responsible for preparation of its draft, and vice vasa. Editing should always be of mutual responsibility and both NCI and JSPS should reach concurrence of its contents before publishing.
II. GUIDELINES FOR SCIENTIFIC SEMINARS
Introduction
This activity enables scientists in the United States and Japan to hold joint scientific seminars on subjects of mutual interest. These scientific meetings may be held in disciplines concerning cancer, but the subject must be compatible with the general purposes of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program. Such will be the case, for example, when topics are chosen according to the program area and at the same time when topics are of particular regional interest or when sufficient competence in the program area exists in both countries to make a meeting of the U.S. and Japanese researchers mutually beneficial.
These seminars are small-scale meetings in any area of the Program and accordingly do not replace any large international conferences. It is primarily to bring U.S. and Japanese scientists together for discussions in areas where such meetings will be of real value to scientists in both countries.
Types of Seminars
The types of scientific seminars include the following:
Seminar organizers
The program coordinators may appoint another senior scientist to act as the organizer of a scientific seminar.
Eligibility of Participants
The scientific seminars provide an opportunity for the participants to review the status of the subject area in the two countries. Therefore it is expected that the participants will be in a position to speak authoritatively on the broad research area as well as to discuss their own research, which should represent the latest developments in the field.
Number of Participants and Nomination
The U.S. and Japanese program coordinators are responsible for the nomination of their respective attendees, subject to the final approval by NCI and JSPS. The number of participants is generally 10 from each country and the number of observers from each country does not exceed that of participants.
Third Country Nationals
The third country nationals may attend a seminar upon the joint invitation of the program coordinators, but do not exceed the number of the U.S. and Japanese participants. They must provide their own support and their attendance is subject to the approval of NCI and JSPS.
Allowances
Each country pays the travel expenses and the per diem allowance for their own participants. The host country is responsible for administrative expenses in holding seminars; however, reimbursement for administrative expenses in connection with any seminar will not be authorized unless approved by his own implementing agency prior to the meeting.
Duration of a Seminar
A meeting should be of two to five days in duration.
Location of a Seminar and Geographical Distribution
The seminars are held either in the U.S.A. or in Japan and not be held in two or more different sites. In order that a balance be maintained in the number of seminars held in each country under the Program, the geographical distribution will be among three places, the Mainland U.S.A., Hawaii/Alaska and Japan should make a ratio of 1-1-1 each year and the program coordinators may be advised by JSPS and NCI to change the site of the seminar to keep the number evenly divided into geographic locations.
Proposal Preparation
The proposal should be developed through correspondence with his counterpart coordinator. The U.S. and Japanese organizers should coordinate the preparation of their proposals between them so that the information submitted to each country’s implementing agency is in agreement, it is requested that copies of pertinent correspondence be sent to Dr. R. Omata of NCI and Mr. G. Hara of JSPS.
Proposal Submission
Proposals should be developed by the program coordinators and/or seminar organizers well in advance of the proposed date so that NCI and JSPS can agree and give approval at least 90 days prior to the proposed meeting dates. The U.S. and Japanese coordinators are to prepare and submit the proposal to his own agency respectively, according to the respective agency’s guidelines.
Approval
Approval is notified to the seminar organizer by NCI and JSPS, respectively, in each country upon the mutual concurrence of NCI and JSPS.
Reporting
The organizer has the responsibility for preparation of a report submitted to NCI and JSPS. Submission of the report or shortened version of it to a professional journal or magazine is encouraged.
III. GUIDELINES FOR PERSONNEL EXCHANGE
Introduction
This program is designed to enable American and Japanese scientists to visit the counterpart country to conduct and engage in collaborative research with the counterpart scientists and/or to exchange information at a research center or laboratory to provide unique opportunities for investigators in both countries to contribute toward better cooperation and development in each program area.
Eligibility
An applicant must have a doctoral degree or its equivalence, or be an established investigator.
Types of Exchange
Proposition and Nomination of Candidates
The U.S. and Japanese program coordinators are responsible for the proposing and nomination of the candidates for his own program area, subject to final approval by NCI and JSPS. The sending side nominates the candidates from among its researchers, while taking into consideration the recommendation from the other if there is any. The sending agency proposes the candidates recommended by his coordinators for approval by the receiving agency. In proposing the sending agency sends the other the application submitted from the candidates.
Acceptance Notice
When the candidate is acceptable, the receiving agency contacts the proposed host institutions to be visited, arrange his visit, and notifies the sending agency of the official acceptance of the host institution. The candidate is notified of the final approval by his own implementing agency.
Arrangement of Visit
When NCI and JSPS mutually reach concurrence and have given approval to his candidate, the travel arrangement of the visitor will be taken care of by the sending side (the implementing agency and the program coordinator). The receiving scientist secures the accommodation of the visitor if necessary, but its payment is made by the visitor from the given stipend.
Financial Support
Sending agency pays the travel expenses and the per diem allowance for its candidates. Terms of the award will depend upon the regulations of the implementing agency of the candidates.
Application Preparation
The proposal should show that the applicant and/or the program coordinator and/or his appointed recommender has communicated with the host scientists with whom he wishes to work or visit. Copies of correspondence with host institutions, if any, should be attached to the application to show that he is accepted by the host institution and/or that laboratory space and necessary facilities are available. In special cases, if an applicant or the program coordinator is unable to establish contact with the interested host scientists or institutions, NCI and JSPS may be able to provide assistance.
Application Submission
Application should be submitted through the program coordinator to his own implementing agency for reviewing its intrinsic scientific merit, the qualification and experience of an applicant and relevance of the proposed activity to his program area of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program. Both the U.S. and the Japanese program coordinators and both NCI and JSPS must approve the proposal before an award is made.
Reporting
The scientist is required to submit a report on his visit and/or research activities to his own implementing office. Submission of the report or a shortened version of it to a professional journal or magazine is encouraged. The sending agency sends a report of a visit to the receiving agency.
IV. GUIDELINES FOR EXCHANGE OF MATERIALS AND INFORMATIONS
Introduction
This program provides the U.S. and the Japanese scientists supports to obtain the informations and materials which are not available in his own country. Materials provided by this program are limited to the experimental materials which are not commercially available. The exchange of scientific materials, such as specimens, new drugs, reagents, etc. and informations such as reprints, books, unpublished informations, etc., which are to be carried out under this program should be channeled through the U.S. and Japanese program coordinators for their own program areas.
Proposal and Request/Proposal Submission and Review
The program coordinator notifies his own implementing agency of an exchange of materials or informations so that the counterpart agency can be informed of such requests and any transactions which result therefrom.
The proposal should state the general description of materials or informations which he requests to receive or send, with scientific justification, details of the collaborative aspects indication of the value of the exchange to the counterpart investigators and/or to his country investigators, the planned distribution and financial estimate of the support requested. In case of sending materials and/or informations, the letter of request from the counterpart coordinator is requested to be attached to the proposal. The sending agency notifies the other the proposed materials and/or informations to be sent for approval and provides supports for his own coordinator. The receiving side provides the information of distribution and so on to the sending side.
Financial Support
Sending — Sending side provides support to the program coordinator, the actual cost for purchase and shipping, including handling charge if any, and administrative expenses in connection with exchanges. Shipping does not cover any charges incurred after its arrival of the receiving country’s port.
Receiving — Receiving side provides support to his program coordinator, the actual handling cost, import tax, shipping after the material’s arrival at the receiving country’s port, and administrative expenses in connection with exchange.
Reporting
The program coordinators having concerned with the exchange are requested to submit a report to his own implementing office.
V. ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION
The sponsorship of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program should be acknowledged in all publications of achievements submitted by an individual scientist participating and receiving support under this Program.