National Cancer Institute

The National Cancer Institute (NCI; German: National Cancer Institute ) is an American Cancer Research Center. It is part of the National Institutes of Health ( NIH), which in turn are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Director of the NCI 's in July 2010 Harold E. Varmus.

Tasks

The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts research projects in the field of cancer or promotes. For this, the NCI has extensive research laboratories at the sites Bethesda (Maryland) and NCI- Frederick at Fort Detrick, Frederick (Maryland). In addition, numerous research projects in various scientific public and private institutions in the United States through so-called NCI grants are funded. Through the NCI training programs for cancer researchers and oncologists clinically active are supported. The NCI collects information on cancer and plays a key role in relation to informing the public about cancer.

History

The NCI was established by the National Cancer Institute Act on August 5, 1937 as a cancer research center to life. Through the Public Health Service Act from 1 July 1944, the NCI has been a part of the NIH. By a further change in the law, the National Cancer Act of 1971, the responsibilities of the NCI have been extended.

Development of new drugs against cancer

A major activity of the NCI were the promotion of research to develop new drugs against cancer. After an internal analysis published in 1996 the development of two-thirds of all approved by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) Anti-cancer drugs were heavily funded by the NCI.