Social Networking for International Cancer Research Collaborations

Collaborating internationally presents challenges in group communication when in-person meetings are costly and difficult to schedule due to time zones, technology, and language barriers. NCI's Multicultural & International Communications (M&I) adapted an online application that allows communication, discussion, and file sharing for the newly formed United States – Latin America Cancer Research Network (US-LA CRN). The US-LA CRN is a cross-government collaborative effort spanning six countries and three languages that aims to support and enhance cancer research and care in Latin America. The US-LA CRN needed an online forum, but was initially skeptical about traditional social networking interfaces. M&I recommended the Ning social networking interface because of its functionality as well as its customization and security features. Functionality was the most important factor when selecting a networking interface because of network members' needs and requirements. Additionally, M&I wanted to maintain a professional-looking and culturally-sensitive website that was easy to use. Security was also a factor as the US-LA CRN is a government-to-government research collaboration. Ning offers a customizable array of security settings that can adjust user permissions as well as provide “protected” pages within the website. The Ning site adapted for the US-LA CRN was designed for scientific collaboration, review of scientific protocols, and for discussion around these topics. The site's members are actively using the site, and this online tool has enabled successful dialogue and collaboration on large scale international project. In conclusion, social networking interfaces like Ning can be useful tools for collaborative international cancer research efforts.