# Multi-Consortia Coordinating Center (MC2 Center) for Cancer Biology: Building Interdisciplinary Scientific Communities, Coordinating Impactful Resource Sharing, and Advancing Cancer Research

> **NIH NIH U24** · SAGE BIONETWORKS · 2022 · $1,980,301

## Abstract

Project Summary
Systems Biology has been an instrumental approach to overcoming challenges in biomedical research, where
solutions arise from interdisciplinary efforts, shared resources (data, tools, models, expertise) and integrative
analyses. The NCI Division of Cancer Biology (DCB) has created multiple consortia comprising interdisciplinary
communities of scientists who aim to integrate approaches, data, and tools to address important questions in
basic and translational cancer research. The Multi-Consortia Coordinating (MC2) Center for Cancer Biology will
work across programs to motivate engagement and collaboration, support resource sharing, and disseminate
knowledge and resources to the broader scientific community.
The MC2 Center will operate through three hubs. The Collaboration Hub will use evidence-based strategies to
catalyze interactions and new collaborations. An evaluation framework will be developed with quantitative and
qualitative metrics to ensure the center continuously improves its impact. Community engagement activities will
include working groups, special interest groups, DREAM Challenges, and Ideation Jams, all of which will have
mechanisms for ensuring inclusion and promoting diversity. To facilitate sharing of resources from DCB
programs, the Resource Coordination Hub will ensure all resources are findable, accessible, interoperable and
reusable (FAIR); it will identify or develop open and FAIR standards and best practices; provide training on
how to implement these standards and practices in the cancer research community; and provide tooling and
interfaces to facilitate resource sharing, curation, and deposition in public repositories. Finally, the Outreach
Hub will enhance dissemination of knowledge and resources through training materials to maximize utilization
of tools and short courses and workshops that bring concepts and resources from across the DCB programs
together, enabling the broader community to experience the power of an integrative interdisciplinary approach
to cancer.
The Cancer Complexity Knowledge Portal will continue to provide open access to all data, tools, and other
resources generated through the DCB and MC2, highlighting discoveries and enabling exploration into the
many valuable resources generated by DCB programs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10525124
- **Project number:** 1U24CA274494-01
- **Recipient organization:** SAGE BIONETWORKS
- **Principal Investigator:** Julie Ann Bletz
- **Activity code:** U24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $1,980,301
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-14 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10525124

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10525124, Multi-Consortia Coordinating Center (MC2 Center) for Cancer Biology: Building Interdisciplinary Scientific Communities, Coordinating Impactful Resource Sharing, and Advancing Cancer Research (1U24CA274494-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10525124. Licensed CC0.

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