UArizona Cancer Center Strategic Plan Update

Between 2019 and 2021, the UACC engaged in a strategic planning process culminating in Bear Down on Cancer, our strategic plan for the next five years. We hope to engage as many UACC members as possible in implementation of the strategic plan and will be providing updates on a regular basis. Our mission is to alleviate the burden of cancer in our catchment area through: transdisciplinary, impactful discoveries, translation, compassionate care, and training and education.  The vision is to be a regional resource and national model for overcoming cancer risks, improving treatments, training talented scientists and providers, and engaging communities.

The plan has five goals:

1-Stimulate high-impact transdisciplinary research to reduce cancer risk, incidence, mortality, and disparities in the UACC catchment area and beyond

2-Improve clinical outcomes through enhanced screening, interdisciplinary care, and clinical trial testing of novel approaches

3-Become a trusted partner of communities with high disparities in cancer, particularly Hispanics and Native Americans/American Indians

4-Create a comprehensive pipeline that attracts and trains cancer researchers and care providers, while fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity

5-Enhance UACC infrastructure to optimize resources, capabilities, and investments

The plan incorporates three transdisciplinary themes that focus on five priority cancers, namely, breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, melanoma, and lung. Our three themes are: Cancer and the Environment; Novel Therapeutics and Preventive Interventions; and Cancer Imaging and Engineering. The associate directors and research program leaders are currently engaged in identifying the top priorities for implementation of the strategic plan.