The Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research (OCCPR) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports the development and application of proteomic/proteogenomic science to improve cancer diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes by bringing data and resources to the research community, investigating the molecular underpinnings of the disease, and identifying targets and strategies for precision oncology.
NCI’s OCCPR manages the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), that brings together leading centers nationwide in a comprehensive and coordinated effort to accelerate the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer through the application of large-scale proteome and genome analysis, or proteogenomics. CPTAC is composed of expertise in proteomics, genomics, cancer biology, oncology and clinical chemistry, and today consists of some of the world’s largest public repositories (open community resources) of proteogenomic sequence data and targeted proteomic assays.
OCCPR also oversees NCI’s Antibody Characterization Program that conducts rigorous antibody validation at the Antibody Characterization Laboratory (ACL), an intramural reference laboratory located at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) in Frederick, Maryland.
In addition, OCCPR leads efforts with Federal agencies (such as the Applied Proteogenomics OrganizationaL Learning and Outcomes [APOLLO] Network, a partnership among the NCI, Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs) and international organizations/institutions (such as the International Cancer Proteogenome Consortium - ICPC, a voluntary scientific organization that provides a forum for collaboration (standardization, harmonization, and sharing of resources) among the world's leading cancer and proteogenomic researcher centers, that have pledged to make available their proteogenomic research datasets to advance cancer research and care.