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An integrative cancer biology program was conceptualized based on recommendations generated during a “Think Tank” Workshop, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Cancer Biology. The workshop participants envisioned a new NCI program to highlight 1) systems biology, 2) a systems approach to cancer biology, 3) interdisciplinary and collaborative research and 4) interdisciplinary training.
In response, on December 13, 2003, the NCI released a “Request for Applications” (RFA), CA-04-013, to provide $14.9 million in funding for a new Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP). The ICBP was envisioned to be a unique initiative designed to gain new insights into the development and progression of cancer through a systems-wide approach. An integrative and multi-disciplinary effort among all fields of cancer research will be applied, incorporating a spectrum of new technologies such as genomics, proteomics, and molecular imaging, to generate computer and mathematical models that could predict the cancer process.
On October 1, 2004, the NCI funded nine integrative biology centers, centers geographically distributed across the entire United States. These nine centers, consisting of approximately 120 investigators and associates, represent a broad spectrum of cancer research and provide the nucleus for the design and validation of computational and mathematical cancer models. The models will simulate complex cancer processes and are to be used to address all stages of cancer, from the basic cellular processes through tumor growth and metastasis. Daniel Gallahan, Ph.D., Associate Director, Division of Cancer Biology, NCI, on commenting about the new ICBP program, stated “the key aspect that sets the ICBP effort apart from others is the focus on building predictive cancer models, and not just analyzing data.”
The ICBP centers also serve as training and outreach programs, enabling developing technologies to be communicated to other scientists in the cancer research community. The outreach effort adds another level of integration, and provides the means for other scientists to validate the usefulness of these models.
The ICBP centers interact and collaborate with other NCI programs and external groups. NCI’s Cancer Biomedical Information Grid (caBIG™) program coordinates all the bioinformatics software needed by the ICBP, as part of caBIG™’s ongoing effort to simplify and integrate the sharing and usage of data by providing access to NCI’s cancer research communities.
In response, on December 13, 2003, the NCI released a “Request for Applications” (RFA), CA-04-013, to provide $14.9 million in funding for a new Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP). The ICBP was envisioned to be a unique initiative designed to gain new insights into the development and progression of cancer through a systems-wide approach. An integrative and multi-disciplinary effort among all fields of cancer research will be applied, incorporating a spectrum of new technologies such as genomics, proteomics, and molecular imaging, to generate computer and mathematical models that could predict the cancer process.
On October 1, 2004, the NCI funded nine integrative biology centers, centers geographically distributed across the entire United States. These nine centers, consisting of approximately 120 investigators and associates, represent a broad spectrum of cancer research and provide the nucleus for the design and validation of computational and mathematical cancer models. The models will simulate complex cancer processes and are to be used to address all stages of cancer, from the basic cellular processes through tumor growth and metastasis. Daniel Gallahan, Ph.D., Associate Director, Division of Cancer Biology, NCI, on commenting about the new ICBP program, stated “the key aspect that sets the ICBP effort apart from others is the focus on building predictive cancer models, and not just analyzing data.”
The ICBP centers also serve as training and outreach programs, enabling developing technologies to be communicated to other scientists in the cancer research community. The outreach effort adds another level of integration, and provides the means for other scientists to validate the usefulness of these models.
The ICBP centers interact and collaborate with other NCI programs and external groups. NCI’s Cancer Biomedical Information Grid (caBIG™) program coordinates all the bioinformatics software needed by the ICBP, as part of caBIG™’s ongoing effort to simplify and integrate the sharing and usage of data by providing access to NCI’s cancer research communities.
last modified
2007-02-15 12:51
