On June 18, the White House announced the appointment of five individuals to the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) for 6-year terms that will expire March 9, 2010. The appointees are: Dr. John E. Niederhuber (who will also serve as chairman-designate for a 2-year term), Ms. Kathryn Giusti, Dr. Diana M. Lopez, Dr. Carolyn D. Runowicz, and Dr. Daniel Von Hoff.

NCAB, an advisory board mandated as part of the Public Health Service Act, advises the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) about the institute's activities. This includes reviewing and recommending for support grants and cooperative agreements following technical and scientific peer review.

NCAB consists of 18 members appointed by the President and includes leading representatives of the health and scientific disciplines; the general public, including leaders in fields of public policy, law, health policy, economics, and management; and experts in environmental carcinogenesis. In addition, leaders of several federal health agencies participate as nonvoting members.  Read more  



The Early Detection Research Network:
Advancing Detection and Prediction Science

Five years ago, NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention set out to create a strong, investigator-driven network to conduct translational research to identify tests for early cancer and cancer risk. In early 2000, the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) became a fully funded group of 28 grantees focused on the overarching goal of creating validated biomarkers ready for large-scale clinical testing. Now, in 2004, EDRN has come to fruition as a broad, interdisciplinary group with the partnerships for advancing science for public benefit. In addition to our many academic and industry partners, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are part of the network. EDRN is in the forefront of technology-driven research on the early detection of cancer and carcinogenesis. Within the process of carcinogenesis, we find precancerous changes as well as identify people at risk for cancer, all of whom will benefit from preventive interventions. Thus, EDRN research will ultimately aid both detection and prevention, critical keys to eliminating cancer death, by identifying and validating biomarkers, such as proteins or genes, that can be measured to identify disease risk or progression.  Read more  

This NCI Cancer Bulletin is produced by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI, which was established in 1937, leads a national effort to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer. Through basic and clinical biomedical research and training, NCI conducts and supports research that will lead to a future in which we can prevent cancer before it starts, identify cancers that do develop at the earliest stage, eliminate cancers through innovative treatment interventions, and biologically control those cancers that we cannot eliminate so they become manageable, chronic diseases. For more information on cancer, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit http://cancer.gov. NCI Cancer Bulletin staff can be reached at ncicancerbulletin@mail.nih.gov.