CCR Landmarks

Read CCR Director Tom Misteli’s note to find out what drives our groundbreaking work.

Two researchers leveraged CCR’s unique environment of investigator-driven inquiry to pursue studies of two cancer-causing genes that eventually led to the development of a vaccine against two forms of human papillomavirus.

After discovering TGF-ß in 1981, CCR scientists thoroughly characterized the molecule, revealing ways it might be used to treat cancer.

Taking advantage of their ability to explore provocative ideas, NCI investigators pioneered the study of chromatin to demonstrate its functional importance and lay the groundwork for understanding its role in cancer and other diseases.

CCR researchers pioneered the therapeutic use of a class of cytokines called interleukins, successfully harnessing their therapeutic potential to treat patients.

More than 30 years ago the idea was heretical: a patient’s immune system could be harnessed to fight cancer. NCI scientists’ pursuit of this idea chartered the development of immunotherapy.  

CCR investigators were among the first to classify tumors based on genetics, laying the groundwork for today’s common practice to molecularly characterize tumors based on their genetic fingerprints for personalized treatments.

Innovative imaging methods developed and refined within CCR revealed atomic-level structures of biological molecules and unveiled dynamic views of a cell’s interior that are driving the design of new treatments and diagnostics for cancer.

Faced with the burgeoning HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, NCI’s intramural program developed the first therapies to effectively treat the disease. These discoveries helped transform a fatal diagnosis to the manageable condition it is for many today.

Precisely locating and killing tumors in the body without harming surrounding cells is a major challenge in cancer treatment. CCR researchers have helped design breakthrough imaging technologies to better understand where and how tumors grow.

Curiosity about histones led to the discovery that the protein H2AX is altered in response to harmful DNA damage called a double-strand break. This powerful tool has led to breakthroughs in both basic and clinical cancer research.

CCR’s remarkable staff are committed to improving the lives of cancer patients through scientific discovery. We are proud of our CCR awardees who represent a spectacular array of accomplishments.