Collaborate Explore Discover

Director’s LetterDear Friends and Colleagues:It is my pleasure to present you with our 2008 – 2009 Scientific Report, which provides an account of theprogress we have made during the last two years. As the report documents, we are building on our strongtradition of innovative cancer research, expanding our programs, and strengthening our commitment topopulation research, epidemiology, and pediatric cancer studies. In 2008, the National Cancer Institutedesignated the University of Chicago Cancer Center (UCCRC) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center,acknowledging the “depth and breadth of research activities in each of three major areas: laboratory, clinical,and population-based research, with substantial transdisciplinary research that bridges these scientific areas.”Since 1996, we have grown from 136 to 212 members with peer-reviewed cancer research grants ofapproximately $98 million in total costs. Our members also have $25 million in non-peer reviewedgrants and contracts.As you will see in this report, our members have substantiated accomplishments in our renowned areas ofresearch, such as early-phase clinical trials, drug development, characterization of hematological malignantdiseases, new treatment paradigms in head and neck cancer, pharmacogenomics, medical imaging, andtumor immunology.We are building a world-class program in population research by recruiting key faculty in molecularepidemiology, environmental epidemiology, behavioral psychology, and chemoprevention trials research.For example, our new “Epidemiology and Recruitment Core” provides our members with uncommonexpertise and technology. We are enlisting superior faculty in other high priority areas, including systemsbiology, and are developing state-of-the-art capabilities in cancer stem cell research, metastasis research,pediatric sarcoma research, immunotherapy and translational immunology research, lymphoma research,and GI oncology.Our growing pediatric oncology program is robust with enhanced resources in its allogeneic transplantprogram, solid tumor biology and therapy program, and the expanded Pediatric Cancer Survivorship clinicaland research program. Cancer survivorship research and long-term clinical care of survivors is a chiefpriority. Consequently, we have developed the Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic, opened in January 2008, asa joint initiative of the UCCRC Women’s Cancer Working Group, the UCCRC Breast Cancer SPORE, and theSection of Hematology/Oncology.We are proud of our past, enthusiastic about the present, and optimistic about the future. The dedication ourmembers and our supporters is the source of this confidence. The UCCRC thrives on ambitious, dauntinggoals. We can meet these challenges because of the commitment and generosity of our senior leaders,members, staff, Foundation, and many donors.With gratitude,Michelle M. Le Beau, PhDProfessor of MedicineDirector, University of Chicago Cancer Research Center