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Radiation Research Program
Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard
Suite 6000
Rockville, MD 20892
Email research-related inquiries to the Radiation Research Program
Information for patients can be found on the NCI Web Site
About the Radiation Research Program (RRP)
- Radiation Research Program
- Clinical Radiation Oncology
- Oncology Outreach
- Radiotherapy Development Branch
- Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch
- Medical Physics
Radiation Research Program
The RRP is responsible for NCI's clinically-related extramural radiation research program. The RRP establishes priorities, allocates resources, and evaluates the effectiveness of such radiation research being conducted by NCI grantees. RRP staff represent the program at NCI management and scientific meetings and provide scientific support to leadership on matters related to radiation research. The RRP coordinates its activities with other radiation research programs at NCI, NIH, other Federal agencies, and national and international research organizations, and it provides a focal point within NIH for extramural investigators concerned with clinically related radiation research.
Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Radiation Oncology: (1) Plans, develops, executes and administers a program that facilitates clinical radiation oncology research, with radiation oncology broadly defined to include radiation used alone and in combination with chemotherapeutic, immunologic and biological agents, hyperthermia and radiation modifiers; (2) Serves as a focal point for radiation oncologists to relate to the NCI in terms of its research and training programs; (3) Reviews all clinical trials involving radiation therapy and assists and advises the Clinical Investigations Branch in protocol review and the radiotherapy aspects of the clinical cooperative group program; (4) Collects and disseminates information on cancer treatment research with radiotherapy; (5) Conceptualizes and organizes workshops and conferences with appropriate collaborators and disseminates workshop reports and summaries; (6) Participates in clinical, developmental, investigational, educational and extra-mural community-related activities of the Radiation Oncology Sciences Program, including the Radiation Oncology Branch and the Cancer Disparities Research Partnerships: In consultation and collaboration with the Radiotherapy Development Branch and Medical Physics, participates in quality assurance activities, cooperative group liaisons, on site reviews of the NCI and NIH.
Oncology Outreach
Oncology Outreach: (1) Plans, develops, administers and executes the Cancer Disparities Research Partnerships Program; (2) Coordinates the activities of the CDRP program with related programs within the NCI and NIH; (3) Serves as a focal point for extramural radiation oncology programs as it relates to cancer disparities research, infrastructure development and the strengthening of training and education in this research area; (4) Organizes workshops and conferences with appropriate collaborators on topics of interest to the extramural field, the NCI and the NIH; (5) Confers with the field of radiation oncology to explore new approaches and initiatives to enhance the field's participation in the national cancer effort; (6) Provides information, guidance and advice on the development of radiation oncology research collaborative arrangements/partnerships; (7) Provides information, guidance and advice on the integration and application of telemedicine/teleconferencing systems to facilitate research collaborations and partnerships; (8) Explore ways to create mechanisms to link radiation oncology scientists with their colleagues; (9) Promote and facilitate scientific interaction and the sharing of information between and among radiation oncologists.
Radiotherapy Development Branch
This branch administers NCI's program of grant-supported preclinical and clinical research in the areas of radiation biology, radiation physics, and radiation therapy. This research encompasses studies to improve radiation therapy; modify radiation response with substances that increase sensitivity to radiation, protect against radiation, including hyperthermia; combine radiotherapy with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery; and examine the effects of radiation on normal tissue. The branch serves as an NCI resource for radiotherapy research, monitoring and reviewing all clinical trials involving radiotherapy and advising NCI's Clinical Investigations Branch. It also maintains liaison with programs of Federal and non-Federal organizations, consults in the planning and implementation of radiotherapy research programs in other countries, and encourages appropriate research by industry. In addition, the branch collects and disseminates information on radiotherapy research.
Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch
The Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch (MRTB) was initiated in June of 2001 with the goal of developing target based strategies for enhancing tumor sensitivity and protecting normal tissue during radiotherapy. Towards this end, we have three general aims:
- Identify molecules/processes that regulate the radioresponse of tumors and normal tissue, i.e., define novel molecular targets for radiation modifiers. With respect to tumor cell radiosensitizers, these fundamental studies will not only address causal relationships between a given molecule and radiosensitivity, but also the therapeutic feasibility of a molecule to serve as a target for radiosensitization. Investigations will thus define the "death process" affected by a molecule, the genetic context under which a regulatory molecule operates, and the potential for tumor selectivity.
- Evaluate currently available agents for their ability to enhance tumor cell radiosensitivity and protect normal tissue. There are now agents in clinical trial or about to enter clinical trial that have been designed against a specific molecular target. The putative target for a number of these agents has also been associated with radioresistance. Such agents will be evaluated for their ability to modify tumor cell radiosensitivity. Critical to these studies will be the establishing a causal relationship between the agent-induced modification of the target and radiosensitization. This will serve to validate (or invalidate) a given molecule as a target for radiosensitization (target credentialing) and establish a "marker" for the use in the potential design of a clinical trial. Although initial studies will be performed using tumor cell lines and normal cells in vitro, agents found to be effective in vitro will then be evaluated using in vivo models.
- Develop high throughput screening procedures for identifying novel radiation modifiers and for evaluating analogues of lead compounds as defined in Aim 2. High throughput screening (HTS) has been used for a number of years by academia and the pharmaceutical industry as a means of drug discovery. The goal of this aim is to apply these basic approaches to the discovery of radiation modifiers. Processes that correspond to a specific aspect of cellular radioresponse such as proliferation, apoptosis, G2 arrest and gene expression will serve as parameters for assays amenable to high throughput analysis. Through the use of libraries composed of synthetic small molecules and/or natural products HTS can be used for de novo modifier discovery, which will not only identify novel modifiers, but also lead to the identification of novel targets. With the potential for a more rapid impact, HTS will also be used to evaluate derivatives of modifiers identified in Aim 2.
Medical Physics
(1) Plans, develops and administers a program that facilitates the interaction of radiation oncology physicists with the NCI; (2) coordinates the physics-related activities of the RRP with other programs elsewhere within NCI and NIH and other Federal agencies; (3) participates in clinical, developmental and educational activities of the Radiation Oncology Sciences Program, including the Radiation Oncology Branch; (4) provides a focal point within NCI for extramural investigators engaged in technological activities that relate to radiation oncology and that might benefit from scientific and technical interaction with radiation oncology physicists.
