Hallmarks of cancer research: Enabling transformative discovery through global team science

Rebecca L Eccles; Gabriela Carreno; Lorenzo de la Rica; Andrew Kurtz; Dinah S Singer; David Scott

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.022

Hallmarks of cancer research: Enabling transformative discovery through global team science

Cell. 2026 Apr 16;189(8):2209-2213. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.022.

Authors

Rebecca L Eccles¹, Gabriela Carreno², Lorenzo de la Rica², Andrew Kurtz³, Dinah S Singer³, David Scott²

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Grand Challenges, Cancer Research UK, London, UK. Electronic address: rebecca.eccles@cancergrandchallenges.org.
² Cancer Grand Challenges, Cancer Research UK, London, UK.
³ National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.

PMID: 41997121
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.022

Abstract

Since the original Hallmarks of Cancer, our understanding of the complexity of the disease has expanded dramatically. Researching cancer is no longer simply a question of ever more sophisticated experiments but of delivering science in an evolving and complex system. Here, we discuss how to support global team science and catalyze transformative discovery, drawing on our experience from the Cancer Grand Challenges initiative.

MeSH terms

Biomedical Research*
Humans
Neoplasms* / pathology
Neoplasms* / therapy