Dec. 31, 2014:

As the year comes to a close, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium would like to thank each of our member institutions for making 2014 a year of outstanding accomplishments. Hard work and a spirit of collaboration have underscored a number of significant milestones that are worthy of celebration. Consider just a few examples of what we have accomplished together:

• Eight new Clinical Trial Working Groups were formed this year. We are now actively developing concepts in breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecologic, thoracic, melanoma/cutaneous cancers, lymphoid malignancies, myeloid malignancies, and multiple myeloma.
• Sixteen concepts from 10 institutions were submitted and scientifically reviewed during the year.
• Two concepts progressed through the development process and are poised for launch early in 2015. These concepts include a renal cell carcinoma study led by Arkadiusz Dudek, MD, PhD, of the University of Illinois Cancer Center, and a hepatocellular carcinoma study led by Bert H. O’Neil, MD, of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center.
• The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium Foundation was formed, with the cancer center directors serving as the board of directors. We anticipate the Foundation will receive its tax-exempt status in the very near future allowing for philanthropic support of Big Ten CRC studies.
• The Big Ten CRC’s IRB Initiative continues to move forward. The development of a reciprocal IRB process will lead to great efficiencies in the study start-up process.

Thank you, again, for your partnership and for contributing to an outstanding year. We look forward to working with all of you in 2015.

About the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium: The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium creates a unique team-research culture to drive science rapidly from ideas to treatment-changing paradigms. Within this innovative environment, today’s research leaders collaborate with and mentor the research leaders of tomorrow with the unified goal of improving the lives of all patients with cancer.

About the Big Ten Conference: The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional, and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in student-athletes’ lives and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness, and competitiveness. The broad-based athletic programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions provide nearly $200 million in direct financial aid to almost 9,500 student-athletes for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse as official sports for the 2014-15 academic year. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.