Key Initiatives

NCI has worked to leverage its role as the leader of the National Cancer Program to expand our understanding of cancer and to translate new knowledge into better cancer prevention and treatment. Although the majority of NCI’s funding supports investigator-initiated science, the institute also invests in major research initiatives to facilitate and support research on specific issues of importance to the cancer research enterprise. Some of these key initiatives include:

Cancer Moonshot℠

NCI is supporting foundational research undertaken through the Cancer Moonshot and launching new initiatives to build on those successes with the aim of achieving bold new goals.

NCI Equity and Inclusion Program (EIP)

The NCI EIP strives to end structural racism in biomedical research by increasing the diversity of the cancer research workforce, building a more inclusive and equitable community at NCI, addressing cancer disparities, and advancing health equity.

Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI)

The Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) addresses the critical need to collect, analyze, and share data to speed up progress against childhood cancer. CCDI addresses the critical need to collect, analyze, and share data to accelerate childhood cancer research.

The RAS Initiative

NCI established this initiative to develop effective therapies against tumors that contain mutations in members of the RAS family of oncogenes. The RAS Initiative highlights NCI’s ability to bring together experts from across the research enterprise to address pressing scientific and clinical questions in cancer.

NCI COVID-19 Research Initiatives

There is a lot to learn about how COVID-19 affects people, including those with cancer, and how to treat the disease. NCI is mobilizing its scientific experts and cutting-edge resources to conduct research on COVID-19.