Cancer Center Support Grant

RESEARCH PLAN – RUTGERS CANCER INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY OVERALL PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is a matrix/consortium (with Princeton University [PU]) and is New Jersey’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, serving a diverse population of 9.2 million. CINJ focused the strengths and resources of the major research institutions in NJ on addressing the cancer burden in its catchment area (NJ). CINJ is an independent institute of Rutgers University (RU), optimizing its potential for growth and transdisciplinary collaboration (multi-PI grants increased 110%). In FY2023, CINJ received over $140 million of institutional support (RU and PU, the State of NJ, the RWJBarnabas Health System (RWJBH), philanthropy). The table below illustrates a few metrics of CINJ’s success in this grant period. Metric 2018 2022 Increase Center Members 165 (19 PU) 275 (28 PU) 67% Ca Focused Peer Reviewed Support $45M ($5.4M PU) $55M ($8M PU) 22% NCI Institutional Training Grants 0 4 N/A Space (*at onset of new grant period) 317K sf 1.1M sf* 247% Patient Visits 67,011 189,681 183% Interventional Therapeutic Trial Accrual 311 600 93% State Support $31M $53M 71% Counties Covered by ScreenNJ 3 21 (all) 600% Steven K. Libutti remains CINJ Director, Vice Chancellor for Cancer Programs for Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, and RWJBH Senior Vice President for Oncology Services since 2017. CINJ entered into an innovative Integrated Practice Agreement with RWJBH that provides a financially sustainable model for provision of high-quality, cutting-edge, academic oncology services, and enabled system-wide restructuring of the clinical trial enterprise and a significant increase in accruals. Driven by its Strategic Plan, CINJ increased high impact center science; supported a plan to enhance diversity; and increased the impact of the Community Outreach and Engagement Office on its catchment area. CINJ’s Research Programs all demonstrated enhanced collaborations and scientific impact: 1) Cancer Metabolism and Immunology, 2) Genomic Instability and Cancer Genetics, 3) Cancer Pharmacology, 4) Clinical Investigations and Precision Therapeutics, and 5) Cancer Prevention and Control. The Programs are supported by shared resources (Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, Biorepository and Histopathology, Genome Editing, Comprehensive Genomics, Immune Monitoring/Flow Cytometry, Metabolomics and Cancer Prevention/ Outcomes Data Support) and other services. CINJ’s future is guided by a Strategic Plan that includes increasing access for NJ residents to screening (new ScreenNJ mobile unit); increasing trial accruals through an expanded clinical research infrastructure; improving representation of URM faculty and staff in leadership; increasing multi- project grants through strategic investment; and operationalizing the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, NJ’s only free-standing cancer hospital. We are requesting re-designation as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center.