COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

Ohio State University, Columbus OH

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC) is currently in its 24th year as an NCI-designated CCC and is now requesting continued federal support for the next five years. The OSUCCC came under its 3rd Director in August 1997 and has initiated a series of changes aimed at creating new scientific direction and revitalizing existing clinical disciplines. The overall goal remains to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality through continu4ed basic, translational and clinical research. To accomplish this the OSUCCC has, in the last 18 months, 1) created a new Division of Human Cancer Genetics with committed institutional support currently in excess of $50 million; 2) created, eliminated and restructured existing CCC programs to be consistent with existing scientific CCC programs to be consistent with existing scientific and clinical strengths and future direction; 3) recruited 32 programs to be consistent with existing scientific and clinical strengths and future direction; 3) recruited 32 new full time faculty to OSU, all with cancer relevant research and/or clinical care, including 9 physician scientists to medical or surgical oncology; 4) developed a new clinical trials infrastructu7re to better facilitate innovative clinical cancer research; 5) acquired a 64% increase in new space allocated for cancer research. The 201 OSUCCC members are currently served by 8 shared resources and are distributed among 7 programs: Cancer Prevention & Control, Experimental Therapeutics, Hormones and Cancer, Immunology, Molecular Biology & Cancer Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Carcinogenesis, and RNA Oncogenic Virus. These programs are supported by over $29 million in annual direct costs from NCI approved peer-reviewed funding, with $10.6 million of that funding coming from 95 NCI-sponsored projects, representing a 153% increase in NCI funding since last submission. The new OSUCCC director and her recruits have resulted in a substantial increase in University and philanthropic support, NCI-approved grant dollars. OSUCCC laboratory and clinical space, and published evidence of intra- and inter-programmatic collaboration. The changes in OSUCCC leadership, support for new scientific directions, and revitalization of translational and clinical cancer research efforts should greatly strengthen the OSUCCC's ability to achieve its overall goal during the next 5 years.