NCI, CRUK award $100M in Cancer Grand Challenge grants

The Directors: Two Gulf Coast cancer center directors on why NCI designation matters—and why they want it
Lucio Miele and Raghu Kalluri: Science and technology have changed what an aspiring cancer center must accomplish

What should a cancer center look like in an era of AI, genomics, complex patient populations, rising costs, and declining public trust in science?

September 25, 2026

Vol.52 No.35

By Claire Marie Porter and Paul Goldberg

Cancer Policy

NCI launches AI tool to help match patients to clinical trials

NCI Director Anthony Letai announced the development of TrialMatch, an AI tool that helps oncologists identify clinical trials for their patients.

September 25, 2026

Vol.52 No.35

By Sara Willa Ernst

Funding Opportunities

Cancer Grand Challenges, through the Torrey Coast Foundation and Cancer Research UK, commits up to $34M to gastroesophageal cancer research

Cancer Grand Challenges has launched two new targeted challenges focused on gastroesophageal cancer, with awards of up to $34 million available through support from the Torrey Coast Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

September 25, 2026

Vol.52 No.35

NCI

Letai takes a swipe at “ill-informed commentators,” as he lays out his scientific vision for NCI
“To my knowledge, 100% of grants that clear my desk get funded”

As of the end of August, NCI has selected 1,891 competing awards for funding this fiscal year, all of which will be funded by the year’s end, NCI Director Anthony G. Letai said to the National Cancer Advisory Board.

September 18, 2026

Vol.52 No.34

By Claire Marie Porter

The end of “more money, more people, more trials”
Cancer centers are being asked to grow their portfolios on flat budgets. Headcount is the wrong answer.

Congress settled the FY26 question in February, with NCI receiving $7.352 billion, an increase of $128 million over the prior year. After a year in which cancer center directors spent an extraordinary share of their leadership attention defending the research enterprise, that outcome deserves to be called what it was: a win.

Letai shares weekly musings in NCI’s new “Tuesdays with Tony” series

This summer, NCI launched a weekly social media series hosted by Director Anthony Letai.

September 18, 2026

Vol.52 No.34

NCI, CRUK award $100M in Cancer Grand Challenge grants

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

The Directors: Two Gulf Coast cancer center directors on why NCI designation matters—and why they want it
Lucio Miele and Raghu Kalluri: Science and technology have changed what an aspiring cancer center must accomplish

NCI launches AI tool to help match patients to clinical trials

Cancer Grand Challenges, through the Torrey Coast Foundation and Cancer Research UK, commits up to $34M to gastroesophageal cancer research

Letai takes a swipe at “ill-informed commentators,” as he lays out his scientific vision for NCI
“To my knowledge, 100% of grants that clear my desk get funded”

The end of “more money, more people, more trials”
Cancer centers are being asked to grow their portfolios on flat budgets. Headcount is the wrong answer.

Letai shares weekly musings in NCI’s new “Tuesdays with Tony” series

Renew today!

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NCI, CRUK award $100M in Cancer Grand Challenge grants

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

The Directors: Two Gulf Coast cancer center directors on why NCI designation matters—and why they want itLucio Miele and Raghu Kalluri: Science and technology have changed what an aspiring cancer center must accomplish

NCI launches AI tool to help match patients to clinical trials

Cancer Grand Challenges, through the Torrey Coast Foundation and Cancer Research UK, commits up to $34M to gastroesophageal cancer research

Letai takes a swipe at “ill-informed commentators,” as he lays out his scientific vision for NCI“To my knowledge, 100% of grants that clear my desk get funded”

The end of “more money, more people, more trials”Cancer centers are being asked to grow their portfolios on flat budgets. Headcount is the wrong answer.

Letai shares weekly musings in NCI’s new “Tuesdays with Tony” series

Never miss an issue!

Login

The Directors: Two Gulf Coast cancer center directors on why NCI designation matters—and why they want it
Lucio Miele and Raghu Kalluri: Science and technology have changed what an aspiring cancer center must accomplish

Letai takes a swipe at “ill-informed commentators,” as he lays out his scientific vision for NCI
“To my knowledge, 100% of grants that clear my desk get funded”

The end of “more money, more people, more trials”
Cancer centers are being asked to grow their portfolios on flat budgets. Headcount is the wrong answer.