Communications FAQ for Members

Early notice (3-4 weeks is best) increases chances of coverage. It allows UCSF Office of Communications time to review the paper, consider its merit for a press release/article, and time to conduct interviews and write an article.

• For papers with a clinical focus: as soon as you learn a paper has been accepted, email both Elizabeth Fernandez ([email protected]) from UCSF Media Relations and Vicky Agnew ([email protected]) from HDFCCC Communications. Include an abstract, a summary of findings, and a few sentences about the implications of the findings. Let us know why you think the paper merits a press release.
• For papers with a basic research focus: Same as above, but email Levi Gadye ([email protected]) from UCSF Media Relations and Vicky Agnew ([email protected]) from HDFCCC Communications. 
• Grants and other funding rarely warrant press releases because so many faculty are funded, but please share the news with the cancer center communications team. We will find a way to share your good news.
• For more resources, visit the UCSF Office of Communications' webpage on Media Resources for Faculty.

Once a paper has been published, chances for a press release are slim. This is because news outlets, which are increasingly understaffed, need time to plan for news that isn’t urgent or breaking.

After publication, we can amplify from cancer center social media channels, and promote in our monthly newsletter. Please send details of your publication to Karen Gehrman ([email protected]) and Erin Hayes ([email protected]).

We would love to promote your upcoming or recent publications, awards, or interviews! Please email Erin Hayes ([email protected]) with the details.

As a courtesy, please share media requests with both Elizabeth Fernandez ([email protected]) from UCSF Media Relations and Vicky Agnew ([email protected]) from HDFCCC Communications.

Never ignore a media request if you see it in time. These are opportunities to highlight your work or expertise. Ignoring media requests can lead to fewer requests in the future and affect UCSF’s reputation.

If the request concerns your research, make every effort to fulfill the request. If you cannot, suggest a co-author, preferably from UCSF. If you have any concerns, contact Elizabeth Fernandez and Vicky Agnew — they’ll work with the reporter to preserve the opportunity.

Be sure you understand the question(s) and the deadline for responding. Let the reporter know ASAP if you are available or not.

If a media request centers around a controversial topic, isn’t relevant to your expertise, or is impossible to fill because of timing, please contact Elizabeth Fernandez and Vicky Agnew to work with the outlet instead.

 The UCSF.edu and UCSFHealth.org websites are interested in patient-centric stories showcasing unusual programs or stories that showcase UCSF's excellence. Suggestions are welcome. Please contact Vicky Agnew ([email protected]) and Elizabeth Fernandez ([email protected]).

• Membership Information - basics of membership, benefits, programs
• Research Resources - find cores, funding opportunities, grant writing support, and more
• Communications Resources - communications team, press and media advice, templates and logos, and more
• Faculty Profiles - find and review your cancer center profile

Your cancer center profile page identifies your member status and affiliation with one of our seven NCI-designated cancer research programs. It is a dedicated space to showcase your cancer-related projects, awards, and leadership roles.

Please submit changes to your cancer center profile here.

Your cancer center profile is a mix of customized information and data pulled from your UCSF Profiles page. We recommend keeping your bio updated on profiles.ucsf.edu since many other UCSF websites also pull data from there. View details.

UCSF Health has a separate ticketing system. Click here to request an update to a UCSF Health provider profile page.

Contact Karen Gehrman ([email protected]) to discuss your options -- often a request for a website is just one part of a larger communications need. Please reach out to get the conversation started.

For edits to existing webpages, submit a request here.

To request new web pages, and for all other web inquiries, contact Karen Gehrman ([email protected]).

Yes! View our social media info page or contact Karen Gehrman ([email protected]) to get started.

Twitter/X is used most heavily, and includes promotion of events, awards, publications, conferences participation, peer to peer discussions, etc.

LinkedIn is used for networking such as spotlighting HDFCCC individuals in the news, or posting job opportunities.

Facebook tends to be less science-forward, and is used to promote events and patient-facing content from UCSF Health.

YouTube is our repository of cancer-related videos including past symposia, patient-facing events, interviews for conferences, and education and training videos.

Yes, many of our HDFCCC members remain active on Twitter/X for sharing publications, having peer to peer scientific discussions, and during professional conferences. Read firsthand how some of our top Tweeps use the platform.

There are alternatives like Threads and Mastodon, and many have switched to using LinkedIn, though no one channel seems to be replacing Twitter/X.

At UCSF, a range of physicians, scientists, staff, fellows, postdocs, and students tweet to bolster scientific dialogue and discovery, to network with peers, to interpret research to patients and advocates, to consider health policy, and to champion health equity. Approximately one-third of our 500+ Cancer Center members post regularly.

If you are on social, tag us appropriately (@ucsfcancer for X, @UCSFCancerCenter for Facebook/LinkedIn). Additionally, we recommend tagging @UCSFHospitals for any clinical content, or @UCSF for research or general news.

If you are not on social, email Karen Gehrman ([email protected]) with your news to be shared. Please include any affiliations whose social accounts we can tag and amplify.

We welcome submissions for the cancer center’s various newsletters. Please send your content, noting any hard deadlines, to Erin Hayes ([email protected]) for inclusion in an upcoming message.

We feature breaking news, such as study findings and awards, covered by UCSF or national news outlets. We create original content and strive to regularly spotlight our many programs and initiatives.

Learn more about our newsletters here.

Please email Erin Hayes ([email protected]) to request to be added or removed.

The UCSF cancer community consists of 3,000+ faculty, staff, and trainees across dozens of UCSF departments as well as staff and physicians at UCSF Health. Our internal database is fed by various sources, including campus HR records, clinical distribution lists, and manual additions. If you or a colleague would like to receive our email announcements, please send a request to Erin Hayes ([email protected]).

Send your content to Erin Hayes ([email protected]) for inclusion in an upcoming Member Announcement, an e-newsletter sent bi-weekly to all cancer center members.

To keep mass emails to a minimum, all content is consolidated into newsletter format. If your time-sensitive message cannot be included in one of our regularly scheduled newsletters, we will work with you to find another way to share it. Please contact Erin Hayes ([email protected]) to discuss!

Yes! Feel free to send us postings for our LinkedIn page and Twitter/X, as well as posting on our Jobs page.

UCSF Documents and Media can provide an approved list of vendors for portraits.

You can download Cancer Center branded templates here. For additional UCSF templates, visit the UCSF Brand Identity website.

To obtain the Cancer Center logo for a presentation, publication, or other purpose, contact Erin Hayes ([email protected]).

Per UCSF identity/branding guidelines, logos for UCSF entities should only be created through the Office of Communications. Learn more here.

Contact Erin Hayes ([email protected]) to discuss the project you were seeking a logo for -- often a logo request masks a larger communications need. Please reach out to us to get the conversation started.

For major cancer conferences such as ASCO and AACR, we amplify presentations/posters in advance of the meeting; we conduct pitch interviews pre- and mid-event for our social channels, we work with UCSF Media Relations to provide opportunities for maximum exposure of your findings; and we produce a news wrap-up for our website and internal newsletter.

If you are attending an upcoming conference, please alert Karen Gehrman ([email protected]) so your activity can be amplified.

We promote cancer-related meetings and seminars in various email newsletters, on our website, and on social media. For assistance, please send your event details — preferably with a link or flyer that includes more information — to Erin Hayes ([email protected]).

For best results, let us know of your event at least two weeks beforehand. We will do our best to accommodate last-minute requests, but inclusion in an upcoming newsletter cannot be guaranteed.