Translational cancer research defines a means of transferring basic discoveries in the laboratory into new clinical interventions for the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, or prevention of cancer with a direct benefit to the patient. This idea forms the basis of our “Discovery to Recovery” motto. We aim to foster the immediate translation of results from ongoing clinical trials into improved patient treatment planning and health decision making. We also seek to implement a cultural transformation of the cancer research endeavor into one composed of multidisciplinary teams organized around a common purpose.
In
Delaware, the common desire for the creation of a translational cancer
research effort among faculty and clinicians recruited to
the State over the past decade has, in essence, created a clinical
and translational cancer effort "without walls." The
thriving effort in translational cancer research involves individuals
from four institutions, University of Delaware, A.I. duPont Hospital
for Children/Nemours, Christiana Care Health System/Helen F. Graham
Cancer Center and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute who share
a common vision to improve cancer research and delivery. The diamond
shape of our logo represents not only Delaware, the Diamond State,
but also the commitment of our institutions to work together
to battle cancer.
Our mission is to establish a pipeline of translational cancer
researchers and clinicians by developing a program that starts at
the undergraduate
level and continues to provide training throughout the graduate and
post-graduate levels. We also seek to build research partnerships
constituting teams of clinicians, biologists and engineers, chemists
and computer scientists to attack cancer related problems.
