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Paths of Progress, Fall/Winter 2000

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Thirty-six years and counting

A photograph of David Livingston, M.D.

David Livingston, M.D.

The awarding of the NCI grant both continues and expands the Comprehensive Cancer Center designation Dana-Farber has held for the past 36 years — but instead of applying to the Institute alone, it also encompasses six other institutions and the cancer researchers who work there.

Although the DF/HCC is a research consortium without walls, it has a clear — if complex — organizational structure. The center includes two types of programs: those dealing with particular types of cancer and those focusing on particular disciplines for studying cancer. Within the first group are programs in breast cancer, gynecologic cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and prostate cancer. The second group includes 10 programs — among them are outcomes research, cancer imaging, cancer genetics, and biostatistics — spread among the center's member institutions.

The physical, tangible components of the DF/HCC — the specialized laboratories and services included in the center — are its "core facilities." The facilities provide technical support to investigators throughout the DF/HCC in a variety of areas. Fourteen core facilities are already in place, with expertise in areas such as cancer pharmacology, cell manipulation, health communication, high-throughput DNA sequencing, and a registry of cancer cases. The funds from the NCI grant will be used largely to support these facilities, enabling DF/HCC members to use their services at prices that are generally lower than are available elsewhere.

"A primary goal of this enterprise is to foster productive interactions among investigators who might not otherwise have found each other."

— David Livingston, M.D. deputy director of DF/HCC

To provide further cohesiveness and help center faculty exchange ideas, the DF/HCC includes an intranet, or members-only, computer system.

"A primary goal of this enterprise is to foster productive interactions among investigators who might not otherwise have found each other," says David M. Livingston, M.D., chair of Dana-Farber's Executive Committee for Research, and deputy director of the DF/HCC. "In this way, extraordinary scientific opportunities can be both created and captured. The center's structure and organization are designed to maximize those interactions."

Paths of Progress, Fall/Winter 2000

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