NCI Advisory Boards, Committees, and Review Groups

NCI advisory board members seated around a conference table. — Joint meeting of the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors and the National Cancer Advisory Board.

Credit: National Cancer Institute

As the federal government’s lead agency for cancer research, NCI relies on advisory committees to provide objective and expert advice on coordination of the National Cancer Program, NCI scientific priorities, development of major extramural program initiatives, future direction of NCI’s intramural and clinical trials programs, and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research.

These advisory committees are formal bodies that are established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972. The membership and activities of these advisory bodies are coordinated by NCI’s Division of Extramural Activities.

List of Advisory Boards and Groups

President's Cancer Panel

Monitors the activities of the National Cancer Program and reports to the President of the United States on barriers to progress in reducing the burden of cancer.
National Cancer Advisory Board

Advises and assists the NCI Director on the activities of the National Cancer Program, including the review (second level) of grants and cooperative agreements for research and training.
Board of Scientific Advisors

Advises and makes recommendations on research priorities conducted or supported by
NCI, including the evaluation of NCI awarded grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts and concept review of activities it considers meritorious and consistent with the Institute's programs.
Board of Scientific Counselors

(Formerly Board of Scientific Counselors - Basic Sciences and Board of Scientific Counselors - Clinical Sciences and Epidemiology)
Reviews and evaluates basic science research programs conducted at NCI’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) and clinical sciences and epidemiology at NCI's CCR and the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, including evaluation of the performance and productivity of tenured and tenure-track principal investigators, senior scientists, and senior clinicians.
Clinical Trials and Translational Research Advisory Committee

Makes recommendations on the NCI-supported national clinical trials enterprise to build a strong scientific infrastructure by bringing together a broadly developed and engaged coalition of stakeholders involved in the clinical trials process.
NCI Council of Research Advocates

Provides the NCI Director with informed, non-scientific perspectives relevant to promoting research outcomes that are in the best interest of cancer patients.
Frederick National Laboratory Advisory Committee to the National Cancer Institute

Reviews the state of research at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) and makes recommendations to the NCI Director and the FNLCR Associate Director on the optimal use of the laboratory to meet the most urgent needs of the Institute.
Initial Review Groups

Advise and make recommendations on the scientific and technical merit of applications for grants-in-aid for research, research training, research-related grants and cooperative agreements, and contract proposals for projects in the areas of cancer causation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Special Emphasis Panel

Provides concept review of proposed contract or grant solicitations and reviews grant and cooperative agreement applications and contract proposals for research projects and for research and training activities in broad areas of basic and clinical cancer research.
Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy

Develops policies and provides guidance and resources to the public, advisory committee members, Congress, the President, and those managing federal advisory committees at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal agencies.