Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) Grants

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs program) in 1992 to promote interdisciplinary research and speed basic research findings from the laboratory to the patient. Institutions must demonstrate a high degree of collaboration between first-rate scientists and clinicians, as well as excellence in translational research projects. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center conducts research within six of these highly-competitive grants, of which only 58 total are awarded across the country.

At Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, six NCI SPORE grants support research in:

• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Lymphoma
• Myeloma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer

Mayo's SPOREs are structurally based on the close interactions and collaborations of the members of the clinical departments that work with patients in each of the diseases, as well as researchers and physicians specializing in biochemistry and molecular biology, immunology, pharmacology, laboratory medicine and pathology, and health sciences research. The objective for SPOREs is to enhance understanding of the biology of the specific cancers each program addresses, and to translate this new information into clinical application. This is accomplished by coordinating interdependent, cooperative research projects within the SPOREs that are mutually reinforcing and that collectively maximize the SPORE translational research objectives. The SPOREs also offer unique opportunities for career development to young researchers, and there is a special program for researchers to explore innovative ideas that have untapped potential.

Mayo Clinic offers unique opportunities for collaboration and resources for the study of all cancers. This includes a large clinical population plus a multidisciplinary base of basic scientists, specialty surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, diagnostic radiologists, medical geneticists and epidemiologists who are truly interested and devoted to the study of cancer. The wide range of interests in specialties allows significant research on most cancer disease types by focused groups, with the opportunity to collaborate across groups.