The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research
A Plan and Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2008
Prepared by the Director, National Cancer Institute as mandated by The National Cancer Act (P.L. 92-218)
Intramural Research
A portion of NCI's research dollars supports the work of scientists in the two intramural divisions, the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) and the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), which together comprise the Intramural Research Program (IRP). The IRP is a recognized leader in identifying genetic and environmental determinants of cancer and AIDS. Improved understanding of virology, the study of viruses and the diseases caused by them, will help advance progress against cancer. IRP researchers are able to rapidly translate their discoveries into clinical applications by utilizing the infrastructure provided by the NIH Clinical Center, the largest clinical research hospital in the world. Over the years, NCI's intramural program has produced new drugs and technologies to treat patients with cancer and AIDS as well as improve their quality of life.
A Closer Look — Collaborative Science at NCI
Nearly two decades ago, researchers at NCI and other institutions began searching for the underlying causes of cervical cancer. That scientific quest led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the vaccine Gardasil® this year. Gardasil® protects against infection from the two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause the majority of cervical cancers worldwide.
Population studies conducted in part by NCI helped to establish the link between HPV infections and the disease. The research revealed that while most HPV infections clear on their own and do not lead to cancer, virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV infection. NCI scientists then examined ways to boost the body's immune response to prevent the cancer-causing infection. This work led to development of the technology on which the HPV vaccine is based. The vaccine opens a new era in cancer prevention and has the potential to save women's lives, as well as to reduce health disparities in the United States and around the world.
"NCI's immunology and vaccine research regarding HPV infection is far from finished. We continue to work on improved vaccines and immunization technology, to make these prevention strategies even more effective and accessible to women worldwide." Dr. John Niederhuber, Director, National Cancer Institute
