Under the leadership of Dr. Michael A. Caligiuri, the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC) is the umbrella organization over all aspects of cancer care, research and education at the University. Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute in 1976, the OSUCCC brings together more than 220 faculty investigators representing 14 colleges at The Ohio State University (OSU) as well as at our affiliated institutions that include the Columbus Children’s Hospital and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
RESEARCH
The OSUCCC membership is organized as a network of seven interdisciplinary, cancer-focused research programs with seventeen state-of-the-art shared resource facilities and a robust administrative infrastructure. Because of our focus in translational research coupled with an active NCI-funded Phase I program, the OSUCCC has extensive expertise in conducting early phase clinical trials. In addition, the OSUCCC continues to be a leader in the NCI cooperative group networks as demonstrated by our being a main institution, correlative science center, tissue repository and now the central imaging core for CALGB. Finally, as Ohio is home to several large and distinct populations, including Amish and rural Appalachia, the OSUCCC has been successful in pursuing unique cancer genetics and population-based research programs within these communities, including an NCI-funded Center for Health Disparities in rural Appalachia. These demonstrated strengths have led the OSUCCC leadership to target three research areas of excellence for significant recruitment and expansion in the future: Human/Clinical Cancer Genetics, Experimental Therapeutics and Cancer Prevention/Control.
CLINICAL CARE
The focal point of the clinical activities of the OSUCCC are located in the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital (OSU-James), a free standing, 160 bed state-of-the art facility for adult cancer clinical inpatient and outpatient activities and clinical laboratory support services. In addition, the OSU James functions as the central hub for supporting several other cancer clinical care facilities and affiliated sites located regionally in Ohio. Built in 1990, the OSU-James also houses the Cancer Clinical Trials Unit that provides specialized support and staffing for early phase investigational drug delivery. Coupling our strengths in translational research, cancer genetics and prevention/control with the unique nature of the OSU-James, the OSUCCC is now at the forefront of developing individualized therapeutic approaches to cancer care and treatment.
THE FUTURE
In 2003, with the commitment of the University, the OSUCCC began formal planning for a dramatic expansion of the clinical and research facilities. Estimated at more than $600M, this expansion will increase the number of dedicated cancer inpatient beds to nearly 300 with a 10-fold increase in outpatient space and more than 150,000 square feet of dry/wet laboratory, shared resource and office space. Nearly 100,000 square feet of the research space will be ready for occupancy in Fall 2006 with construction of the clinical facilities beginning in 2007.
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