Annual Report 2024
Preface
The National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI) was established in 1962 as one of the main parts of the National Cancer Center (NCC) and has been driving cancer research in Japan ever since. The NCC was designated a National Research and Development Agency in April 2015. Since then, there has been a greater demand than ever to promote research and development and maximize clinical outcomes. To meet this demand, the NCCRI has been collaborating closely with the NCC Hospital, Hospital East, the Institute for Cancer Control, the Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, the Center for Promotion of Translational Research, and the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics, and has thereby sought to maximize the transition “from bench to bedside”.
In addition to 17 Divisions and 9 independent Research Units, the NCCRI also contains the Fundamental Innovative Oncology Center (FIOC), a core facility for the entire NCC. The FIOC consists of 12 Departments and operates the NCC BioBank, preparing bioresources including patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), providing specialized techniques, and facilitating collaborative work with multiple private sector organizations outside the NCC. As of March 2025, the NCCRI has 91 research staff, 57 postdoctoral fellows, and 243 graduate students/supporting staff, all of whom are dedicated to a wide range of cancer research, including cancer prevention based on the identification of cancer-initiating cells and carcinogenic mechanisms, elucidation of the inter- or intra-tumor heterogeneity and in vivo network mechanisms, elucidation of the molecular basis of immune tumor microenvironment, elucidation of treatment-resistant mechanisms, identification of diagnostic and therapeutic targets, development of novel anti-cancer strategies and medical AI research and development.
Outstanding achievements in 2024 in the NCCRI include the following:
(1) Discovery of geographic variation in mutagenic exposures in kidney cancer genomes
(2) Discovery of a novel carcinogenesis promotion mechanism involving telomerase reverse transcriptase
(3) Elucidation of acquired resistance mechanisms against combined TLR agonism and PD-1 blockade
(4) Approval of the first-in-Japan gene panel test for hematologic malignancies
(5) Development of a novel drug for bile duct cancer based on genomic analysis in Japanese patients
In collaboration with NCC hospitals, the NCCRI has established the J-PDX library, which contains over 660 PDXs derived from clinical specimens, and has promoted collaborative studies with industry and academia. The PDX model enabled the rapid evaluation of new drug efficacy, the identification of predictive biomarkers, and the implementation of clinical trials. Furthermore, the NCCRI is supporting cancer genomic medicine in Japan in collaboration with the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics, and is developing a system for the clinical application and utilization of whole-genome analyses in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), JH, and AMED.
The NCCRI also actively participates in and leads worldwide cancer research collaborations, including the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and International Cancer Proteogenome Consortium (ICPC). Furthermore, the NCCRI has continued collaborative research to elucidate the carcinogenic mechanisms of various cancers with The Wellcome Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC, WHO). In addition, the NCCRI conducted the government's flagship Moonshot Research and Development Program “Actualization of a cancer-free society through regulation of chronic inflammation” by a consortium of seven Japanese and three US research organizations.
As described above, through enhancing high-quality research and interaction with many domestic and international institutes, the NCCRI is actively generating novel modalities to prevent and conquer cancer.
Hiroyuki Mano, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, National Cancer Center Research Institute