The National Cancer Center (NCC) held a research institute workshop recently to share its "NCC Cancer Research Mid-to-Long-Term Implementation Plan (2026-2030)" and discuss future strategies, the center announced on the 16th.
The implementation plan is a follow-up measure to support the execution of cancer research initiatives under the "5th Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan" announced last month. It was established to realign national cancer research strategy amid the rapidly changing cancer research environment, including advancement of precision medicine, opening of research data, and adoption of artificial intelligence technology.
Under the goal of "National Hope Project for Cancer Conquest," the NCC put forward precision prediction, advanced treatment, AI medicine, public interest realization, and cooperation expansion as its core values. Based on these, the center established five key strategic directions: advancement of prevention, diagnosis, and precision medicine; leading next-generation innovative treatment technologies and accelerating clinical translation; innovating future medical infrastructure based on AI and data; conducting public interest cancer research and integrated management that citizens can feel; and building an open clinical research ecosystem and global hub. The center finalized 20 priority tasks and 46 detailed tasks.
In the first session of the workshop, Kim Hyun-chul, former head of the R&D Innovation Division at the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (currently director of the Boston office), delivered a presentation on "Healthcare R&D Implementation Directions." Lee Geon-guk, director of the NCC Research Institute, shared the main contents of the mid-to-long-term cancer research implementation plan.
In the second session, department heads including Woo Sang-myung, director of the Rare and Intractable Cancer Research Division; Yoon Hong-man, director of the Clinical Research Division; and Jang Hyun-chul, director of the Cancer Biology Research Division, shared their research implementation plans under the theme of "Measures for Activating Cancer Research and Advancing Research Strategy."
"This workshop was a meaningful occasion to examine the direction and core strategies of national cancer research beyond just the NCC level," said Lee Geon-guk, director of the Research Institute. "As a national institution leading cancer research, the NCC Research Institute will make greater efforts to faithfully fulfill its public responsibilities."
