Team USA’s Julie Letai competes in Milan Olympics speed skating event

At a jam-packed NCAB meeting, cancer vaccines and site visits take center stage

Last week’s issue of The Cancer Letter was dominated by one event: the meeting of the National Cancer Advisory Board, the group of experts which advises and assists the NCI director on the activities of the National Cancer Program.

March 25, 2026

NCI

Hoping to hit a $200M target, NCI and FNIH develop a plan for advancing cancer vaccines
NCI Director Letai: “How aggressive can we be?”

A public-private effort, spearheaded by NCI Director Anthony Letai, and led by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, is working to speed up the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines.

March 20, 2026

Vol.52 No.11

By Claire Marie Porter

NCI

Letai: “From this point forward, it really is much more like business as usual at the NCI.”

NCI Director Anthony Letai appeared before the National Cancer Advisory Board Committee March 17 to maneuver through thorny topics while reiterating his message of reassurance: Stability. Stability. Stability.

Kim Rathmell named OSUCCC director, Pollock becomes director emeritus in planned leadership transition

W. Kimryn Rathmell, CEO of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, has also been named director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in place of former Director Raphael E. Pollock, who has stepped down from the position he had held since November 2017 to become OSUCCC director emeritus.

March 06, 2026

Vol.52 No.09

Podcast The Directors

The Directors: Yolanda Sanchez and Kelvin Lee talk about making cancer centers more resilient
“Diverse ecosystems are more robust than non-diverse ecosystems. That is a biological fact.”

“We’ve always argued that money comes and goes, but if you lose a generation of scientists—you can’t buy them back,” said Kelvin Lee, director of the Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.

February 27, 2026

Vol.52 No.08

By Claire Marie Porter and Paul Goldberg

NCI

The FY26 funding package gave NCI a raise, but the institute’s buying power is 18% less than it was two decades ago
Lowy: “We still have percentiles, but we’re not allowed to make awards exclusively on the basis of payline.”

When President Donald Trump on Feb. 3 signed H.R.7148, a package funding most of the federal government through FY26, many in oncology released a long-held sigh of relief.

February 13, 2026

Vol.52 No.06

By Jacquelyn Cobb

Team USA’s Julie Letai competes in Milan Olympics speed skating event

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

At a jam-packed NCAB meeting, cancer vaccines and site visits take center stage

Hoping to hit a $200M target, NCI and FNIH develop a plan for advancing cancer vaccines
NCI Director Letai: “How aggressive can we be?”

Letai: “From this point forward, it really is much more like business as usual at the NCI.”

Kim Rathmell named OSUCCC director, Pollock becomes director emeritus in planned leadership transition

The Directors: Yolanda Sanchez and Kelvin Lee talk about making cancer centers more resilient
“Diverse ecosystems are more robust than non-diverse ecosystems. That is a biological fact.”

The FY26 funding package gave NCI a raise, but the institute’s buying power is 18% less than it was two decades ago
Lowy: “We still have percentiles, but we’re not allowed to make awards exclusively on the basis of payline.”

Renew today!

Subscriber content

Never miss an issue!

Login

Team USA’s Julie Letai competes in Milan Olympics speed skating event

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

At a jam-packed NCAB meeting, cancer vaccines and site visits take center stage

Hoping to hit a $200M target, NCI and FNIH develop a plan for advancing cancer vaccinesNCI Director Letai: “How aggressive can we be?”

Letai: “From this point forward, it really is much more like business as usual at the NCI.”

Kim Rathmell named OSUCCC director, Pollock becomes director emeritus in planned leadership transition

The Directors: Yolanda Sanchez and Kelvin Lee talk about making cancer centers more resilient“Diverse ecosystems are more robust than non-diverse ecosystems. That is a biological fact.”

The FY26 funding package gave NCI a raise, but the institute’s buying power is 18% less than it was two decades agoLowy: “We still have percentiles, but we’re not allowed to make awards exclusively on the basis of payline.”

Never miss an issue!

Login

Hoping to hit a $200M target, NCI and FNIH develop a plan for advancing cancer vaccines
NCI Director Letai: “How aggressive can we be?”

The Directors: Yolanda Sanchez and Kelvin Lee talk about making cancer centers more resilient
“Diverse ecosystems are more robust than non-diverse ecosystems. That is a biological fact.”

The FY26 funding package gave NCI a raise, but the institute’s buying power is 18% less than it was two decades ago
Lowy: “We still have percentiles, but we’re not allowed to make awards exclusively on the basis of payline.”