Advancing new cancer treatments, tests, and imaging

Clinical and Translational Oncology Program (CTOP)

NIH-funded research University of Arizona · NIH-11158864

This program develops and tests new cancer drugs, biomarkers, and imaging tools and runs clinical trials to help people with cancer get better, more precise care.

Quick facts

Grant typeP30 center grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Arizona NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Tucson, United States)
Project IDNIH-11158864 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This program brings together lab scientists and clinicians to turn laboratory discoveries into treatments and scans that can be used in patients. They work on finding and optimizing new drugs, identifying biomarkers, and improving imaging techniques, then move promising approaches into investigator-initiated and other clinical trials. The program also supports reverse translation, where patient results guide new laboratory studies, and has focused work relevant to blood cancers like AML and to bone marrow transplant-related research. Activities are centered at the University of Arizona and its cancer center partners in the region.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with cancer in the University of Arizona catchment area, including those with blood cancers such as AML or those eligible for investigator-initiated trials, are the main candidates for participation.

Not a fit: People without cancer, those not eligible for the specific clinical trials due to health, prior treatments, or location, or those seeking only standard-of-care without trial options may not benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, it could deliver new, more effective cancer therapies, earlier diagnostics, and improved imaging that reduce side effects and improve outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Related translational programs have led to approved therapies (for example, prior work here contributed to the approval of afamelanotide) though many investigational approaches remain experimental.

Where this research is happening

Tucson, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.