The Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP) strives to improve the diagnosis and assessment of cancer by effectively moving new scientific knowledge into clinical practice. This national program stimulates, co-ordinates and funds resources and research on diagnostics and improved technologies to better characterize cancers to guide the choice of treatment as well as to evaluate the response to treatment.
The CDP is a part of the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. We support research at medical centers, hospitals, businesses and universities throughout the United States. The CDP is not directly involved with patient care. Information for cancer patients and for health care providers about cancer diagnosis can be obtained via the NCI Home Page, Cancer.gov.
The Cancer Diagnosis Program is divided into three branches, under the leadership of Acting Associate Director James W. Jacobson, Ph.D.:
The Associate Director is responsible for providing the vision and direction for the Cancer Diagnosis Program.
Her office provides:
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office of the Associate Director | |||
| James W. Jacobson, PhD | Acting Associate Director | 301-402-4185 | JacobsonJ@mail.nih.gov |
| Lisa M. McShane, PhD | Statistician | 301-402-0636 | McShaneL@mail.nih.gov |
| Kevin Dobbin, PhD | Statistician | 301-451-6244 | dobbinke@mail.nih.gov |
| Miguel Ossandon, M.S. | Program Analyst | 301-496-8639 | ossandom@mail.nih.gov |
| Margaret M. Cavenagh, M.S. | Program Specialist | 301-496-8639 | cavenagh@mail.nih.gov |
| Ramona Saunders-Smith | Program Coordinator - On Contract | 301-496-8639 | saunderssmithr@mail.nih.gov |
The Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technology Branch stimulates and supports research to develop new biomarkers, diagnostic strategies, innovative technologies and improved devices that will lead to better tools for research and to aid clinical decision-making.
For more information on cancer marker development supported by DBT, please visit Marker Discovery.
For more information on the types of technologies supported by DBT, please visit Technology Development
For information on special funding initiatives and opportunities please visit Obtaining Support for Marker Discovery and Technology Development Projects and Technology Development Initiatives.
For a list of NCI/NIH resources and information of interest to technology developers see Resources and Additional Information for Technology Developers.
If you are a Small Business investigator seeking support for a project, please visit Small Business Funding Opportunities.
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technology Branch (DBT) | |||
| James W. Jacobson, PhD | Branch Chief | 301-402-4185 | jacobsonj@mail.nih.gov |
| Avraham Rasooly, PhD | Program Director | 301-402-4185 | rasoolya@mail.nih.gov |
| James Tricoli, PhD | Program Director | 301-402-4185 | tricolij@mail.nih.gov |
The NCI Tissue Expediter program maintains information about existing resources and helps match researchers with appropriate sources for the specimens they need. The Tissue Expediter also markets NCI specimen resources and collects data to help the NCI anticipate emerging specimen and data needs. The NCI Specimen Resource Locator (http://www.cancer.gov/specimens) helps researchers locate appropriate specimen sources for their research
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Development Branch (RDB) | |||
| Irina A. Lubensky, MD | Branch Chief | 301-496-7147 | lubenskyi@mail.nih.gov |
| Yaffa Rubinstein, PhD | Program Director | 301-496-7147 | rubinsty@mail.nih.gov |
The Diagnostics Evaluation Branch (DEB) of the Cancer Diagnosis Program supports research programs to facilitate the development and validation of better diagnostic clinical tests to improve the outcomes for cancer patients. The goals are to improve the assessment of cancer prognosis by refining tumor classification and staging, predicting tumor progression and metastatic capacity, assessing the influence of germ line or somatic genetic mutations on disease prognosis, and detecting recurrence. In addition, the Branch seeks to improve the prediction and evaluation of response to treatment through development of clinically useful markers to guide the treatment of cancer patients.
The Branch supports the translation of knowledge of cancer biology and tumor-host interaction from the laboratory to the clinic and the application of new biomedical technologies to prognosis and prediction through targeted initiatives, participation in broad ranging NCI and NIH initiatives, and investigator-initiated grants.
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostics Evaluation Branch (DEB) | |||
| J. Milburn Jessup, MD | Branch Chief | 301-435-9010 | jessupj@mail.nih.gov |
| Tracy G. Lively, PhD | Associate Chief | 301-496-1591 | livelyt@mail.nih.gov |
| Magdalena Thurin, PhD | Program Director | 301-496-1591 | thurinm@mail.nih.gov |
| Kelly Kim, MA | Program Director | 301-496-1591 | kimke@mail.nih.gov |
