Research Programs

The CCIL has two unique and complementary programs: the Cancer Technology & Data Science Program (CTD) and the Cancer Engineering & Biological Systems Program (CEB). The two complementary programs have a shared goal of moving discoveries to use, ultimately improving the lives of cancer patients. Skilled leaders and accomplished scientists serve as program leaders. They collaborate to determine scientific directions with member input, maintain a cancer focus, and organize activities.

Cancer Technology & Data Science Program (CTD)

The Cancer Technology & Data Science Program develops imaging techniques, molecular analytical methods, and mathematical and data analyses that improve understanding of cancer’s organization and composition. Members make fundamental advances in measurement and data science, using them to engineer practical technologies to improve cancer research, detection, and diagnosis.

Activities range from theory and design (e.g., for new microscopes), development of hardware or software technology (e.g., super-resolution ultrasound imaging), and their translation into clinical use (e.g., early cancer detection in primary care).

Cancer Engineering & Biological Systems Program (CEB)

The Cancer Engineering & Biological Systems Program uses innovative research tools to understand cancer’s nature and accelerate the development, evaluation, and translation of transformational anticancer treatments and models.

Activities include discovering critical biological pathways and mechanisms (e.g., estrogen receptor function), innovating chemical synthesis to develop new anticancer strategies (e.g., kinase inhibitor libraries), and accelerating the translation of therapies by engineering new tumor models and leveraging comparative oncology (e.g., spontaneous cancers in pet cats and dogs as surrogates for human tumors).

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