One NCT – The National Center for Tumor Diseases
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) is supported by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), outstanding university hospitals and research partners across six sites in Germany. Heidelberg has been the first NCT site established in 2004, followed by Dresden in 2015. As part of the National Decade against Cancer, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR, formerly BMBF) has funded the NCT expansion in 2023 to six sites in total, with four new sites: Berlin, SouthWest (Tübingen-Stuttgart/Ulm), WERA (Würzburg with Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg) and West (Essen/Cologne).
The six NCT sites form a nationwide collaboration aiming to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical application and to expand patient access to innovative diagnostics, therapies and clinical trials.
Key collaborative activities across the NCT include:
NCT Overarching Clinical Translational Trial (OCT²) Program
The NCT OCT² Program provides a structured framework for the collaborative development and implementation of innovative investigator-initiated multicenter clinical trials. With this it aims to bridge the gap that exists in Germany between preclinical research and late-stage clinical trials. By bringing together interdisciplinary expertise from all NCT sites, the program supports the translation of promising study ideas into high-quality clinical studies. These studies address unmet medical needs and have the potential to improve cancer care nationwide. The Clinical Trial Centers (CTCs), established at each NCT site, serve as local hubs that are closely linked to the supporting research and technological infrastructure. They facilitate access to the expertise and resources required for the efficient development and implementation of these trials.
Patient Involvement
The NCT pioneered the systematic involvement of patient representatives as active partners in cancer research in Germany. Patient representatives are consistently involved in all processes and committees of the One NCT. As central task members of the Patient Research Councils across the NCT sites, together with qualified external patient representatives, contribute their perspectives to the design, conduct and evaluation of research projects and clinical trials. Their involvement helps ensure that research addresses patients’ needs and priorities while fostering patient-centered innovation.
NCT Overarching IT and Data Management
The NCT sites and the DKFZ collaborate closely to establish harmonized IT and data management structures that support multicenter clinical research. By coordinating expertise across the One NCT these activities standardize processes, support data management for NCT studies, and facilitate the secure use of shared research data and long-term data repositories. Together, they provide the digital infrastructure required for efficient collaboration and high-quality investigator-initiated clinical trials.
Education and Training
Developing the next generation of clinical-translational cancer researchers is a key objective of the NCT. Joint initiatives within the NCT School of Clinical Cancer Research, such as the NCT Masterclass and the NCT Clinical and Medical Trialist (CMT) Program, offer structured education, mentoring and networking opportunities for early- and mid-career clinicians and researchers. By promoting interdisciplinary exchange and strengthening expertise in academic clinical research and clinical trial conduction, these programs help build sustainable excellence across all sites.