Purdue Institute for Cancer Research Secures $9.4 Million NCI Renewal to Sustain Nearly 50 Years of Basic Laboratory Cancer Research
Key Insights
The Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (search) received a $9.4 million Cancer Center Support Grant renewal from the National Cancer Institute to continue its work as one of only eight Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers in the U.S.
The institute has held NCI designation since 1978 and supports over 115 faculty members across 19 academic departments, collectively drawing more than $30 million annually in federal cancer research funding.
During the previous five-year funding cycle, PICR faculty earned 92 cancer-relevant patents, secured 30 licenses, and launched 16 new companies.
The Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (search) (PICR) has secured a $9.4 million renewal of its Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, ensuring continued operational and collaborative funding for one of the nation's longest-standing NCI-designated Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers.
The grant renewal allows PICR to maintain its designation as a Basic Laboratory Cancer Center, a status it has held since 1978 — just two years after the institute's founding in 1976. PICR is one of only eight such centers across the United States and one of only two housed at a public university.
"Every FDA-approved therapy, every diagnostic that catches cancer earlier and every targeted cancer treatment that reduces harm to healthy tissue traces its roots back to fundamental scientific discoveries," said Andrew Mesecar, the Robert W. Miller Director of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (search) and Walther Professor of Cancer Structural Biology. "This renewal reflects national confidence in the kind of rigorous, curiosity-driven research Purdue is known for, as well as our role and impact in translating our discoveries into new cancer treatments and diagnostics."
Research Infrastructure and Interdisciplinary Reach
Funding from the CCSG supports more than 115 faculty members representing 19 academic departments and seven colleges and schools at Purdue, uniting expertise spanning biology, chemistry, engineering, computational science, pharmacy, nutrition science, structural biology, and veterinary medicine. Collectively, PICR-affiliated faculty receive over $30 million per year in cancer-focused federal research funding.
"Sustained, high-impact, interdisciplinary research is central to Purdue's growth as a leading research university," said Dan DeLaurentis, Purdue's executive vice president for research. "Through the work of the PICR, we are generating new knowledge, developing transformative technologies and forging a research ecosystem positioned to shape the next era of discovery in combatting cancer."
Foundational Scientific Contributions
Research conducted by current and former PICR scientists has contributed to several foundational areas in cancer science. These include the discovery of protein tyrosine phosphatases (search) that can be used to create novel cancer immunotherapies, advances in structural biology methodologies that support precision drug design, and chemical synthesis strategies that underpin many modern cancer drugs.
Over the past five years, Purdue-originated research has contributed to FDA-approved cancer imaging agents and a radioligand therapy designed to deliver radiation directly to tumor cells throughout the body.
Commercialization and Translational Impact
The institute has placed significant emphasis on translating laboratory discoveries into commercial applications. During the previous five-year funding cycle, PICR faculty earned 92 cancer-relevant patents, secured 30 licenses, and launched 16 new companies — underscoring the institute's role in bridging fundamental research and therapeutic development.
Training the Next Generation
Beyond laboratory discovery, PICR supports cancer researchers at multiple career stages through nationally competitive training grant programs, targeted pilot funding, and mentoring and career development initiatives. These programs are designed to support participants ranging from undergraduate students entering the field to early-career researchers and established faculty.
With the renewed CCSG, the institute enters a new five-year funding cycle positioned to deepen its scientific programs, expand partnerships, promote technology transition, and continue growing its national profile in preclinical cancer research.