The Purdue University Center for Cancer Research was established in 1976 and received its NCI designation in 1978.

Purdue is an interdisciplinary cancer research center. Its mission is to promote discovery in the areas of biological phenomena, new chemical entities, and new technology that leads to the development of innovative instrumentation, new diagnostic tools, and novel therapeutics. By studying cancers at the cellular level, researchers are discovering how such diseases develop, progress, and respond to treatment. The goal is to find ways to detect cancer sooner and treat it more effectively.

The Center draws its 12 members from 17 different departments and six schools and colleges. Purdue offers leadership and coordination of the diverse efforts of the Center’s basic science and engineering research communities by providing the infrastructure for a series of research programs.