Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs)

In 1992, the NCI established the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). Each SPORE focuses on a specific organ site, such as breast or lung cancer, or on a group of highly related cancers, such as gastrointestinal cancers. SPOREs are designed to enable the rapid and efficient movement of basic scientific findings into clinical settings, as well as to determine the biological basis for observations made in individuals with cancer or in populations at risk for cancer. Total funding shown represents the SPORE program using relevant P50s, P20s, U54s, and co-funded grants external to NCI.

The Translational Research Program (TRP) is the home of the SPOREs, a cornerstone of NCI’s efforts to promote collaborative, interdisciplinary translational cancer research. SPORE grants involve both basic and clinical/applied scientists, and support projects that will result in new and diverse approaches to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of human cancers. For more information on these SPORE grants and organ sites, please visit the Translational Research Program.

NCI's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) is home to the P20 SPORE grants. These P20 grants support feasibility and planning activities to build research programs addressing cancer health disparities as a cross-cutting research theme. For more information on these SPORE grants, please visit the CRCHD's Funding Opportunities for Research and Training page.

The NCI Funded Research Portfolio (NFRP) web site contains additional information about the SPORE grants listed below that have been funded by NCI. The NFRP provides access to various NCI budget reports that contain information about research funding according to specific research categories. For more detailed information on all SPORE grants, please visit the NCI Funded Research Portfolio.