Moon Shots Program
How team science aims to beat cancer
In September 2012, MD Anderson launched the Moon Shots Program, an unprecedented, comprehensive assault to significantly reduce deaths from cancer. The program comprises six teams of MD Anderson researchers and clinicians initially focusing on these eight cancers:
- acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- melanoma
- lung cancer
- prostate cancer
- triple-negative breast and high-grade serous ovarian cancers
Each moon shot team is pursuing innovative projects prioritized for greatest patient impact, while specialized scientific and technical platforms provide infrastructure and expertise.
The ultimate goal is to apply knowledge gained from this process to all cancers. Moon shot efforts will help support all other cancer research at MD Anderson, particularly with improved resources and infrastructure.
Estimated to cost $3 billion in the first 10 years, the program will receive funding from private philanthropy, institutional earnings, competitive research grants and commercialization of new discoveries.