ORGANISATION of ICIC: Update for 2009

The Canary Islands have got specific problems in relation to cancer that justify the creation of an Institute to address these issues in depth.  Furthermore,  the Canaries has experienced a rapid economic growth in the last decades but despite the efforts conducted by the different public administrations in education and research, the area of cancer research has not received a similar boost required for a proper study on the specific problems existing the in Canaries in relation to cancer.
The Canary Institute for Cancer Research (ICIC, www.icic.es) started in 2000 as an Association of Canary researchers aware of the problems of cancer in the Canaries who deciced to get organised at a regional level to address the challenge of researching into the causes of cancer.

Legal bases of ICIC

ICIC was established under the Canaries Law of Associations (Law 191/64, 24th December and additional legislation).  The official headquarters of ICIC are at the Oncology Dept. of La Candelaria University Hospital (Tenerife) and it houses the office of the President.
ICIC was constituted as a non-profit, permanent, scientific corporation, formed by researchers on basic and clinical research of cancer (doctors, biologists, pharmacists, psychologists, sociologists, etc.), with professional activities in their respective fields in the Canaries Autonomy, under the legal regime of Law of Associations.
It is a multidisciplinary institute since its comprises seven professional fields directly related with some topics of cancer (i.e. doctors, biologists, chemists, vets, psychologists, pharmacists, economists), currently with a regional scope, and multicentre identity with over 400 researchers-members, belonging to the major public hospitals of the Canary Islands, the two Universities, two private centres and two preestablished research institutes.
During 2004 ICIC adapted its Statutes to the Law 4/2003, with the incorporation of new chapters.  These modifications were approved at the Extraordinary Meeting of November 5, 2004 (Bulletin 36) Annex B of such document.
Within the legal basis of ICIC, it should be mentioned that an unanimous agreement of the Canary Islands Parliament urged the Government of the Canary Islands to support the activities of ICIC for its extraordinary political and social value, and for representing a formidable moral support to those embarked on this unique adventure.

Management of ICIC

The organization of ICIC includes its Management which deals with day to day operations of ICIC, processing receipts and payments, the justification of subsidies from public bodies, relations and communications with ICIC fellow researchers and members running research projects and other activities.