Planning and Evaluation Core: Project Summary The mission of the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research (PCCR) is basic discovery - discovery that is the foundation through which the PCCR fosters innovative cancer solutions. Specifically, the PCCR leverages Purdue University's strengths in engineering, veterinary medicine, nutrition science, chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy, structural biology, and biological sciences, to establish its foundational base. These core strengths form the sustaining underpinning through which the PCCR facilites a focus on understanding the biology of the cancer cell, developing innovative technology that can be used to probe cancer-related phenomena, creating diagnostic and imaging tools, and synthesizing unique therapeutic chemical entities that can be delivered to the cancer cell by novel technology. As part of the strategic planning and evaluation process, the PCCR leadership utilizes multiple advisory resources, including both external and internal advisory committees. The External Advisory Committee (EAC) uses its collective scientific expertise and extensive experience in reviewing/managing cancer centers and their components, to assist the PCCR in planning and evaluation. In addition, the PCCR engages leadership groups from both within the Center and across Purdue University, for support in the planning and evaluation of current efforts and future directions. These internal and external review processes provided the advice that led PCCR leadership to launch a number of changes/initiatives during the current CCSG funding period including promoting basic discovery, facilitating transdisciplinary collaborative research, improving the drug discovery pipeline, and enhancing the movement of discoveries toward application. PCCR leadership will continue to build on PCCR core strengths to enable the Center to drive research toward solutions of major cancer issues. To accomplish this objective, the PCCR will pursue effective planning and evaluation approaches aimed at enhancing further growth and development of the PCCR and its Programs.