Office of Technology and Industrial Relations

The NCI is aiming to revolutionize the way we detect, treat, and prevent cancer. By placing a heavy emphasis on advanced technology development, the NCI is accelerating the creation and use of tools that are already facilitating the translation of basic knowledge into clinical advances.

In 1998, NCI established the Office of Technology and Industrial Relations (OTIR) in the Office of the Director, providing funding to explore innovative approaches in biosensors, nanoparticles, and cancer genomics. Many of those initial programs have borne fruit in the form of research discoveries that are now advancing towards clinical development.

In 2004, NCI convened a pioneering leadership roundtable of thought leaders from across the public and private health care sectors to examine the scientific, societal, cultural, and economic barriers to rapid progress against cancer. Four strategic approaches were then identified to overcome barriers, including Building Cross-disciplinary Collaborations and Teams; Bridging the Gap Between Late Discovery and Early Development of Diagnostics and Therapeutics; Developing Data Standards; and Developing Cross-Cutting Technology Platforms.

Today, the NCI recognizes the need for and supports the development of the large-scale, multidisciplinary and networked endeavors that are required to transform cancer research and drug development. Through OTIR, and in collaboration with other government programs and engagement with the private sector, NCI is leveraging its technology-driven initiatives in nanotechnology, proteomics, cancer genomics, and biospecimen resources to enable novel cancer research and accelerate clinical application. These initiatives are already implementing many of the strategic approaches outlined above, placing greatest emphasis on collaboration and alignment among research groups; among academic laboratories and NCI comprehensive cancer centers and affiliated Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs); and between the public and private sectors.