About the Cancer Center
Every day, more than 350 outstanding physicians and scientists at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicate themselves to finding answers for the unmet medical needs of cancer patients.
Collaborating across the full spectrum of cancer research, these Mayo Clinic cancer experts are committed to understanding the biology of cancer, to discovering new ways to predict, prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, and to transforming the quality of life for cancer patients today and in the future.
Setting the bar for excellence
Cheryl Willman, M.D., is the Stephen and Barbara Slaggie Executive Director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Programs and director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Willman also is recognized with the distinction of being the David A. Ahlquist, M.D., Professor of Cancer Research.
Dr. Willman partners with Jolene M. Summer Bolster, associate administrator of the Cancer Center, to lead the Cancer Center and cancer programs in the Midwest, Arizona and Florida, and the newly developing Mayo Clinic global cancer programs in London, England, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Willman continues the Cancer Center's tradition of excellence in leadership. She is a pioneer in the field of cancer precision medicine. Her research focuses on using genomics, next-generation genome sequencing and computational technologies to discover novel cancer-causing genomic mutations that can be translated to better cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
Meeting rigorous National Cancer Institute standards
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is designated as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer center. This NCI designation recognizes a center's scientific leadership and resources, and the depth and breadth of research in basic, clinical and population science. Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is also one of 49 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers that have further demonstrated substantial transdisciplinary research that bridges basic, clinical and population science.
The Cancer Center receives about $119 million in competitive peer-review grants annually, including the NCI's highly sought Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants.
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center has five NCI SPORE grants, including a lymphoma SPORE grant that is shared with the University of Iowa:
Designed to rapidly move research discoveries into clinical settings for cancer patient care, SPORE grants support collaboration between basic researchers and clinical researchers on projects that result in new and diverse approaches to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Offering extensive clinical trial options
At Mayo Clinic, research drives everything we do for patients. Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers relentlessly pursue discoveries that deliver hope and better health today and for generations to come.
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center patients have access to hundreds of clinical trials in all phases led by Mayo Clinic scientists. Trials are also available through the Cancer Prevention Network, a clinical trials study group whose administrative and research base is at Mayo Clinic. Still more trials are available through cooperative research agreements with the National Cancer Institute, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and other clinical trials groups.
Transforming cancer patient lives
Mayo Clinic's unique culture of collaboration and teamwork speeds the transformation of promising laboratory discoveries into lifesaving treatments for patients with cancer. Because of this research, more than 150,000 cancer patients come to Mayo Clinic each year seeking medical answers they haven't found anywhere else.
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center has nine major cancer research programs focused on providing medical solutions for cancer patients. These research programs benefit from the crucial infrastructure and scientific support of 13 shared resources.
Reaching new heights in cancer research
Our team-based, patient-centered research brings together renowned physicians, researchers and scientists to develop the latest technologies and treatments to address unmet patient needs.
This work expands beyond the nine research programs within the Cancer Center to include research with other cancer collaborative groups, research on health disparities, a focus on native populations, and integration with cancer research laboratories and other areas of cancer research at Mayo Clinic.
Cooperative groups and collaborations
Researchers in Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center work with scientists and clinicians in other organizations worldwide through cancer cooperative groups and a range of collaborations. These networks help advance cancer breakthroughs and expand access for our patients. Read more.
Health disparities
The Cancer Center is working to reduce disparities in health care. Partnering closely with the Office of Health Disparities Research at Mayo Clinic, our researchers engage with community organizations and encourage clinical and basic research studies focused on identifying and clarifying racial and ethnic differences in cancer. Read more.
Laboratories and other areas of cancer research
Many Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center physicians and scientists lead their own laboratories and groups that conduct research related to cancer. These lab-based research efforts include numerous types of cancer and related conditions and span the spectrum of cancer research, including understanding the most basic biology of cancer development, diagnosis, treatment and finding new ways to deliver targeted cancer treatment. Read more.