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Extramural Programs Specialized Programs of
Research Excellence
SPOREs
In 1992, the NCI established the Specialized Programs of
Research Excellence (SPOREs) to promote interdisciplinary
research and to speed the bidirectional exchange between basic
and clinical science in order to move basic research findings
from the laboratory to applied settings involving patients and
populations. The ultimate goal of the SPORE program is to bring
novel ideas that have the potential to reduce cancer incidence
and mortality, improve survival, and to improve the quality of
life to clinical care settings.
Laboratory and clinical scientists work collaboratively to plan,
design and implement research programs that impact on cancer
prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and control. To
facilitate this research, each SPORE develops and maintains
specialized resources that benefit all scientists working on the
specific cancer site, as well as SPORE scientists. An additional
SPORE element is a career development program that recruits
scientists both within and outside the SPORE institution to
enlarge the cadre of laboratory and clinical scientists dedicated
to translational research on human cancer. SPOREs meet annually
to share data, assess research progress, identify new research
opportunities and establish priorities for research most likely
to reduce incidence and mortality and to increase survival.
In 1996, NCI funded a total of 12 SPOREs and co-funded 6 SPORES
for a total of $24,651,000. SPOREs are funded through specialized
center grants, P50s. Twelve institutions received full support as
P50 SPOREs. NCI co-funded three P50s from the National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases using $501,000 of
NCI support, and three P50s from the National Institute of Dental
Research were co-funded using $1,042,000 of NCI support. In the
upcoming years, NCI may increase the use of the SPORE mechanism
to include funding for other major cancer sites.
| Site | Type | Number of Awards | Amount of Funding |
| Breast | P50 | 6 | $12,028,000 |
| Total Breast | 6 | 12,028,000 | |
| Gastrointestinal | P50 | 1 | 1,611,000 |
| Total Gastrointestinal | 1 | 1,611,000 | |
| Lung | P50 | 3 | 4,587,000 |
| Total Lung | 2 | 4,587,000 | |
| Prostate | P50 | 3 | 4,882,000 |
| Total Prostate | 3 | 4,882,000 | |
| NIDDK | P50 | 3 | 501,000 |
| NIDR | P50 | 3 | 1,042,000 |
| Total Co-funds | 6 | 1,543,000 | |
| Total SPORES | $24,651,000 |