The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is exploring new and innovative scientific approaches to better understand and control cancer. The Office of Physical Sciences - Oncology (OPSO) leads the NCI's efforts to establish research projects that bring together cancer biologists and oncologists with scientists from the fields of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and engineering to address some of the major questions and barriers in cancer research.
NCI's initial goal is to join these often disparate areas of science by building a collaborative network that is composed of Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OCs). Working in cross-disciplinary teams, the PS-OCs explore the physical laws and principles that shape and govern the emergence and behavior of cancer at all scales, in an effort to open up new areas and support the development of clinical advances.
OPSO also supports the development of this burgeoning field through running workshops, scientific conferences and other funding support mechanisms in partnership with other NCI divisions, NIH institutes, and other government agencies.