Driving “cancer research that spans the continuum from basic science to survivorship” and taking advantage of the “incredible opportunity to greatly reduce the impact of cancer on people’s lives and end cancer as we know it” takes an investment, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) acknowledged in its proposed budget for the 2023 fiscal year. However, fully funding “cutting-edge research, infrastructure, and training needed to harness these opportunities allows researchers better understand how to prevent and treat cancer.”
Monetarily, the proposal includes $50 million for the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative, $216 million for the final dedicated year of Cancer Moonshot, and investments in NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence, and practice-changing clinical trial programs.
NCI also included a proposal to increase the payline percentile for investigator-initiated research, which the agency said will get the organization closer to funding the top 15th percentile of R01 applications by 2025. NCI said if received, the budget could allow the institute to raise application paylines to the 13th percentile, translating to more than 300 additional awards for research applications.
“In addition to career stage, NCI will continue its commitment to increase workforce diversity by supporting researchers from underrepresented groups who submit meritorious applications that are beyond the payline,” NCI said. “Across all our programs, NCI will make it a priority to address cancer disparities and grow a more diverse and inclusive cancer research workforce.”