Why Support Cancer Research at the UCCRC?

The UCCRC is one of the elite corps of comprehensive cancer research centers in the country supported by the National Cancer Institute and is one of only two such centers in Illinois.  These centers of excellence share a common goal to attack malignant disease through laboratory research, innovative clinical trials, and prevention research.  The UCCRC, a globally recognized institution that has been home to distinguished scientists and Noble Prize laureates for over a century, has a history of exceptional accomplishments.

  • UCCRC research discoveries have contributed to the introduction of the majority of cancer treatments used today, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, gene therapy, and bone marrow transplantation.
  • The UCCRC has pioneered imaging technologies and techniques that have enhanced cancer diagnosis, screening, and prevention.
  • The UCCRC is the world leader in the promising new field of pharmacogenomics, which integrates genetics, pharmacology, and medicine to study how an individual’s genetic makeup influences his or her response to therapy.
  • UCCRC efforts have resulted in new surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgery which reduces tissue damage and blood loss.
  • The UCCRC is known for breakthrough discoveries underlying the development of many effective drug therapies.

The exceptional research performed at the UCCRC is one reason the U.S. News and World Report has ranked our cancer program as one of the top 20 in the nation and the best in Illinois.