Director's Update Archive

• 05/13/2008 - The Future of Cancer Research: What's at Stake
  When we speak about the future of cancer research, it's important to understand what's at stake, particularly given everything we have achieved over the past several decades.
• 04/29/2008 - Accelerating Translational Research at NCI: The Next Steps
  On November 7-9, 2008, NCI will hold a first-of-its-kind, institute-wide translational science meeting in Washington, DC. The meeting marks a significant steptoward implementing recommendations made by the Translational Research Working Group (TRWG) in its June 2007 report.
• 04/15/2008 - At AACR, New Science and an Important Dialogue
  Each annual meeting of the large U.S. and international cancer research organizations has its own unique aspects, its own atmosphere. Over the past several years, the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting has begun to feature more clinical and translational research, while maintaining its focus on the basic sciences. It is this "bench to bedside and back" approach that makes it such an important meeting.
• 04/01/2008 - Expanding the Role of Advocates in Shaping, Enhancing Cancer Research
  Everything we do at NCI begins and ends with the cancer patient in mind. In our ongoing quest to maintain that focus, NCI is fortunate to receive expert outside advice and recommendations from four federal advisory committees, each offering a unique perspective on how we can best serve patients.
• 03/18/2008 - Pediatric Oncology Partnerships Are Models for Success
  In this special issue of the Bulletin, we pay tribute to pediatric oncology, focusing on the wide-reaching partnerships that have led to exemplary progress in treating children with cancer. As you will see, these partnerships have markedly reduced pediatric cancer mortality and will most certainly hasten our progress against other cancers, such as osteosarcoma and brain tumors, for which prognosis remains poor.
• 03/04/2008 - Keeping Recent Mortality Figures in Perspective
  The headlines varied, but when the Cancer Facts & Figures 2008 data were released late last month, the dominant message that many TV, print, and electronic news stories carried was that the decline in the number of actual cancer deaths had come to an end.
• 02/19/2008 - SPOREs Move To Strengthen Program, Vision
  Since their creation in 1992, NCI's Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) have been a cornerstone of the Institute's efforts to promote interdisciplinary cancer research focused on a specific organ site. The SPORE program was designed to enable the rapid and efficient movement of basic scientific findings into clinical settings. Now a flourishing program, there are 62 SPOREs, studying 14 organ sites, based almost exclusively at NCI-designated Cancer Centers, where they comprise an important part of the centers' research programs.
• 02/05/2008 - Budget Proposal Highlights Cancer Research Progress, Priorities
  Among the most valuable communication tools created as a result of the National Cancer Act of 1971 is the NCI's annual report on The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research, which was released this week. Often referred to as the "bypass budget," this report is intended to directly inform the President and guide the administration's budget request to Congress for NCI funding.
• 01/22/2008 - Addressing Cancer Health Disparities with Science and Hope
  Yesterday marked the national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, and with it an opportunity to reflect on his work to raise awareness of inequality and injustice in our country.
• 01/08/2008 - Coding System Requires Cooperation
  One of the truly unique aspects of NCI is its close relationship to the cancer community, a relationship made possible by the special authorities granted by the National Cancer Act of 1971. Those authorities include the mandate for robust and frequent communication about the Institute's research priorities and activities, including its support of research grants pertaining to organ sites.