Although plans are underway for a new Penn State Cancer Institute facility at Hershey Medical Center, several steps are being taken to secure more funding for the institute before its doors open.

Dr. Thomas Loughran, institute director, said one of the program's major objectives is to be recognized as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which would make them eligible for research funding from the NCI.

"Recognition by the NCI involves a competitive grant application," he said. "The center would then be visited by other cancer center directors and scientists to determine if the site is good enough for a cancer center support grant."

The project is already receiving $10 million from the state through a grant from the Public Improvement Projects Fund, said Abe Amoros, a spokesman for Gov. Ed Rendell.

Loughran said that until the center is recognized by the NCI, any money received from the state or private donations will go toward the new cancer center building in Hershey, so Penn State can have the facility available to do research in the future.

Any donations received will not be used for research purposes until the institute is built and officially recognized by the NCI.

A new materials science building is also receiving $40 million from the Public Improvement Projects Fund, Amoros said.

The cancer institute only received $10 million from the state grant because it has also received $13 million in federal funds secured by U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa.

Sheilah Borne, Hershey Medical Center governmental affairs director, said the medical center is looking to receive additional state and federal funds for the new cancer institute.

Amoros said the project is likely to receive more money from the state before its scheduled opening in 2008. The new cancer facility is expected to cost a total of $93.6 million to construct.

Loughran said he would eventually like Penn State's Cancer Institute to be similar to programs such as the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"Ohio State has one of the most prestigious NCI centers, and that would be a good model to emulate," he said. "In the grant process, we will be competing against the 61 already designated cancer centers as well as the numerous candidates who want to apply for the first time."

Dr. Michael Caligiuri, director of the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, said to become a NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, a program must conduct basic research programs, clinical research and prevention and control research and community education programs.

"Examples of this required research would include studies in determining the causes of cancer as well as population surveys of possible cancer triggers such as smoking," he said.

Competition is tight among programs competing for NCI recognition but not among programs of Big Ten schools, Caligiuri added.

"The cancer center is one of the few things that is not centered around the Big Ten," he said. "There is no element of competition; our need is to serve our patients and conduct research to benefit the community."

Kallie Michels, a University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center spokeswoman, said competition among university programs is beneficial.

"There is a sense of healthy competition," she said. "However, it is something that can only lead to more progress and quicker answers to the problems facing cancer patients."