The Mission of Radiation Research Program
The Radiation Research Program (RRP) supports the basic, translational and clinical research, as part of an ongoing effort to stimulate research in radiotherapy and radiation biology, in the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) by:
- Providing expertise to investigators and potential grantees who perform cutting-edge research with radiation and other forms of energy;
- Helping to lead the radiotherapy research community in establishing priorities for the future direction of radiation research, including targeted funding initiatives and interagency collaboration;
- Developing and promoting collaborative efforts among extramural investigators for both preclinical studies and clinical trials;
- Developing unique models and capabilities to help and mentor medically underserved communities in the United States and worldwide to access cancer clinical trials;
- Development, management, and evaluation of the NCI radiation research portfolio;
- Advising the NCI-funded clinical trials groups and the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) regarding scientific priorities and quality assurance in clinical studies with radiotherapy;
- Providing guidance to extramural investigators, collaborating with DCTD experts and working with colleagues in the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research to develop novel combined modality therapy;
- Serving as the NCI’s liaison and advisor on the mitigation of radiation injury to normal tissue and the development of biomarkers for radiation injury in programs addressing radiological and nuclear terrorism in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the Department of Health and Human Services.
RRP coordinates its activities with other radiation research efforts at NCI:
- Division of Cancer Biology
- SBIR Development Center
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
- Cancer Center for Research — Radiation Biology Branch
- Cancer Center for Research — Radiation Oncology Branch
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies
- National and International research organizations.
The Radiation Research Program serves as a focal point for extramural investigators seeking grants and contracts to support clinical, pre-clinical, and basic mechanistic studies related to radiation oncology, radiobiology, and cancer biology research. The pie charts below depict the FY19 distribution of topics and grant mechanisms represented in the RRP research portfolio, which is comprised of approximately 165 active awards supported by a budget of $50,000,000.
