The University of Michigan (U-M) Rogel Cancer Center (Rogel) has a distinguished history of scientific excellence, collaboration, and impact. Rogel’s Mission is to reduce the burden of cancer and advance health equity through transdisciplinary collaboration in research, education, patient care and community outreach, and the Vision is to be a leader in prevention, early diagnosis, optimal treatment and care for all at risk of, or affected by, cancer. Founded in 1986 as the U-M matrix cancer center, the Center first received National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation in 1988, and it has been a comprehensive cancer center since 1991. With strong support from the U-M leadership team and the cancer center community, Eric Fearon, MD, PhD, was appointed as the third Center Director in September 2016. Fearon has held multiple leadership roles in the cancer center throughout the past two decades, including Deputy Director, AD for Basic Sciences, and Program Co-Leader for Cancer Genetics. The Center provides an organizational framework to promote transdisciplinary cancer research through the development of well-funded basic, translational, clinical, and prevention programs and the development of shared resources. The Cancer Center’s six Research Programs includes three basic programs – Signaling and Tumor Microenvironment; Cancer Genetics, and Developmental Therapeutics; one basic/clinical/translational program - Cancer Hematopoiesis and Immunology; one clinical/translational program - Translational and Clinical Research; and Cancer Control and Population Science. Rogel supports 13 Shared Resources and two developing Shared Resources: Cancer Data Science; Cell and Tissue Imaging; Experimental Irradiation; Flow Cytometry; Health Communications; Immune Monitoring; Pharmacokinetics; Preclinical Molecular Imaging; Structure and Drug Screening; Tissue and Molecular Pathology; Transgenic Animal Models; Proteomics; Single Cell Spatial Analysis; Epigenetics and Epigenomics (developing); and Liquid Biopsy (developing). The Center has 326 members representing 54 departments and nine schools and colleges across the University of Michigan. The Rogel Cancer Center was ranked in sixth in NCI-funded academic institutions in 2021 and cancer center members have annual direct funding of over $119 million. The scientific impact of the Center’s research is reflected through the 4636 member publications during the 2017-2021 period, including 25% of manuscripts published in journals with impact factor >10, and the strong portfolio of cancer-focused grants held by our members. Fostering transdisciplinary collaboration is a key tenet of the Rogel Cancer Center, evidenced by a high degree of intra- (25.4%), inter-programmatic publications (17.3%) and inter-institutional (47.1%) The Medical School has made substantial commitments to the cancer center through space, financial support, and the recognition of cancer programs as a top priority for the institution.
