The United States National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Taiwan are pleased to announce the signing of an extension to their memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for proteogenomics cancer research with Academia Sinica and Chang Gung University. This extension marks a renewed commitment to the collaboration of their efforts to expedite proteogenomics research and enhance care for individuals with cancer while simultaneously making research data widely accessible to the broader community as a global public good.
The NCI and Taiwan have established a robust history of collaborative research and training programs, which include their contribution as a crucial partner in the International Cancer Moonshot initiative - the International Cancer Proteogenome Consortium (ICPC), that commenced in 2016. Taiwan teams have now completed two critical studies concerning oral cancer (oral squamous cell carcinoma) and lung cancer (adenocarcinoma), with data readily accessible to the public.
With these renewals, Taiwan has set new objectives in three critical areas: prevention, early detection, and treatment, with the ultimate goal of reducing the cancer mortality and enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors. This program that was announced at the inaugural U.S.-Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue, and accompanying Joint Cancer Summit in Taipei, Taiwan (May 2023), focuses on addressing major cancers prevalent in the Taiwanese population, such as lung, liver, gastric, breast, colorectal, and esophageal cancers. The program aims to achieve a new national goal of reducing the cancer death rate by 50 percent over the next 25 years for the major cancer types through a national health policy, and increasing intervention and research.
The signing of the MOUs between Taiwan and the NCI represents a significant demonstration of their unwavering dedication to collaborate on a global scale towards cancer research and care. Both parties are looking forward to continuing their partnership in the fight against cancer.
About ICPC
The NCI Cancer Moonshot ICPC was launched in 2016 and represents a voluntary scientific organization that provides a forum for collaboration among some of the world's leading cancer research centers. ICPC currently includes research institutions from 14 countries. Data findings from ICPC members are made available to cancer researchers and physicians globally to help further their understanding of cancer and to better inform patient care. Cancer knows no borders.