About

The mission of the Brigham Young University Simmons Center for Cancer Research (SCCR) is to support and facilitate foundational discovery research leading to the development of more effective methods to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure cancer.

A major focus of that mission is to provide experience to students that inspires and begins the training of the next generation of cancer clinicians and researchers.

The Simmons Center for Cancer Research trains the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians by providing undergraduate and graduate BYU students research fellowships with prestigious cancer researchers at BYU, and with research institutions across the country. The SCCR provides its research fellows with funding, thus allowing them to focus on full-time research during the span of their fellowship.

Since 1997, when the fellowship program was initiated, 487 undergraduate and graduate students have been funded for full-time cancer research over the course of a semester. Their research has resulted in many publications. Most importantly, the SCCR fellowship program has been a platform for many students into lifelong careers of oncology research as well as clinical practice. The Simmons Center for Cancer Research is proud to fund many of Brigham Young University’s brightest student researchers in cancer research.

The Simmons Center is comprised of 40 BYU faculty members who all participate in cancer research and mentor student fellows. Cancer labs at BYU span all across campus, include distinguished professors in the fields of Chemical Engineering; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Health Sciences; Integrative Biology; Microbiology and Molecular Biology; Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science; Physiology and Developmental Biology; Communications; and Statistics. These professors and students are driven to make a significant contribution to the discovery of a cure for cancer.

The "student first" emphasis of the Simmons Center distinguishes it from other cancer research centers at institutions of higher learning. The Simmons Center believes in the capabilities of students and is one of the few centers worldwide that offer funding opportunities for undergraduates.

The Simmons Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1997 as a joint venture between the Colleges of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Biology and Agriculture. In 2014, the name was changed to the Simmons Center for Cancer Research in honor of renowned chemist and former Director Daniel L. Simmons.

Click here to view a video about one of first fellows from 1998.