NCI investment in nanotechnology: achievements and challenges for the future

Abstract

Nanotechnology offers an exceptional and unique opportunity for developing a new generation of tools addressing persistent challenges to progress in cancer research and clinical care. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recognizes this potential, which is why it invests roughly $150 M per year in nanobiotechnology training, research and development. By exploiting the various capacities of nanomaterials, the range of nanoscale vectors and probes potentially available suggests much is possible for precisely investigating, manipulating, and targeting the mechanisms of cancer across the full spectrum of research and clinical care. NCI has played a key role among federal R&D agencies in recognizing early the value of nanobiotechnology in medicine and committing to its development as well as providing training support for new investigators in the field. These investments have allowed many in the research community to pursue breakthrough capabilities that have already yielded broad benefits. Presented here is an overview of how NCI has made these investments with some consideration of how it will continue to work with this research community to pursue paradigm-changing innovations that offer relief from the burdens of cancer.

Design of a Small-Scale Multi-Inlet Vortex Mixer for Scalable Nanoparticle Production and Application to the Encapsulation of Biologics by Inverse Flash NanoPrecipitation

“…Nanoparticles (NPs) have received considerable interest as vehicles for hydrophobic therapeutics and imaging agents, among other applications. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Production of polymeric NPs in a reproducible manner is necessary for successful clinical translation, but scale-up is often difficult. 5 , 6 Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) provides a scalable solution to this challenge through a continuous rapid mixing process, which is carried out in specific geometries.…”

“… 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Production of polymeric NPs in a reproducible manner is necessary for successful clinical translation, but scale-up is often difficult. 5 , 6 Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) provides a scalable solution to this challenge through a continuous rapid mixing process, which is carried out in specific geometries. 2 , 7 As a continuous process, scale-up entails longer run times rather than implementation in larger vessels.…”

National Cancer Institute Alliance for nanotechnology in cancer—Catalyzing research and translation toward novel cancer diagnostics and therapeutics

“…We counted over 125 start-up companies and industrial collaborators associated with the program. Several of these companies have successfully applied for and received SBIR Phase I (i.e., Feasibility and proof of concept stage of funded technology) funding through the NCI SBIR program (Beylin, Chrisman, & Weingarten, 2011;Dickherber, Morris, & Grodzinski, 2015;Narayanan & Weingarten, 2018). Additional funding from private sector was also raised by several of these start-up companies.…”

The NCI and the Takeoff of Nanomedicine

“…We will provide data demonstrating that the programs initiated by the NIH went far beyond simply providing research funding for innovative science and potential breakthrough therapeutic discoveries in hopes they would find commercial funding and eventually have a transformative effect on medicine. The programmatic efforts we will discuss have funded innovative research through a rigorous peer review process [27], but they have also been instrumental to building necessary infrastructure for addressing the structural and economic problems we have identified above to translating these discoveries into clinical practice and the market place.…”