The expansion of the Big Ten Conference on August 2 to include four new members, including the University of Oregon, creates an opportunity for growth of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium (Big Ten CRC). The Big Ten CRC has invited the UO and other new members of the athletic conference to join the consortium. 

Established in 2013, the consortium combines the cancer centers of the Big Ten Conference to conduct multi-institutional research led by clinical and scientific researchers at member institutions. Together, with support from industry, philanthropic, and other funding sources, Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium researchers work to make significant strides against their common opponent: cancer. Researchers from consortium member institutions meet in Clinical Trial Working Groups to develop and launch collaborative studies. The consortuim emphasizes the critical role of discoveries in the lab to continually inform and transform clinical practice.

The Knight Campus will be a central point of activity for the UO's involvement in the consortium, including through programs such as the Center for Biomedical Data Science, a joint research center that integrates world class expertise at both UO’s Knight Campus and OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute.

In an announcement posted to the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium website, Knight Campus Executive Director Bob Guldberg expressed his enthusiasm for the multi-institutional partnership.

“We are eager to team up with clinical and scientific researchers at Big Ten member institutions to attack our common enemy,” Guldberg said. “The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium provides powerful opportunities to drive new scientific discoveries, improve the lives of patients, and mentor our trainees to become the research leaders of tomorrow.”

To learn more about the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium, go to bigtencrc.org.