Organization

The majority of CCBIO´s PIs hold positions and funding at Haukeland University Hospital. CCBIO has activities and employees at additional departments and institutions. These are the Department of Informatics, Department of Economics, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, as well as the Center for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, all at the University of Bergen, and also at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Research Management

In terms of science management, CCBIO is organized in four integrated research programs with associated teams (basic studies, biomarker exploration and validation studies, clinical studies, and societal studies), all supported by bioinformatics resources.

Lab space and advanced core facilities are available for CCBIO, as is the Clinical Trials Unit at Haukeland University Hospital. The investigators meet monthly to discuss scientific and administrative issues and update each other on development and progress, and they also gather for a lunch-to-lunch strategy seminar bi-annually. The monthly meetings and the bi-annual strategy seminars are important platforms for communication and ever-increasing cohesion and collaboration within CCBIO.

Management group

CCBIO is managed by the director, Professor Lars A. Akslen, the co-director, Professor Line Bjørge, and the administrative leader, Geir Olav Løken. The management is advised by a strategic advisor, Rolf K. Reed, and is assisted by a web and newsletter editor, four finance officers, the faculty communications officers and a range of other administrative staff allocated to CCBIO in parts of their positions. The co-located offices for the management group are in the main building of Haukeland University Hospital (Sentralblokken, second floor).

Integration with the Host Institution and Administrative Support

In terms of administrative support, CCBIO aims to use its funds as efficiently as possible, ensuring excellent administrative services for its scientists and a good climate for collaboration with its departmental and institutional partners. Consequently, CCBIO is organized as a matrix structure to retain full control over resources, while the day-to-day administration is delegated to the involved departments. As a main principle, funds and positions are located at the respective department where the research takes place. This enables researchers to interact with their familiar support staff, thereby minimizing resources used on day-to-day administration. In addition, it creates common interests between CCBIO and the departments. This model has proven successful due to its efficiency and robustness, and it has ensured excellent collaboration with the involved departments.