Pioneering Cancer Research Since 1940
The University of Wisconsin–Madison established the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research in 1940—the first university-based cancer research center in the United States. This bold step laid the foundation for what is now the UW Carbone Cancer Center, a national leader in cancer research, education, and care.
Foundational Vision
- In the 1930s, Dr. Harold P. Rusch championed the need for a dedicated cancer research facility.
- A bequest from Michael W. McArdle enabled the creation of a four-story laboratory, with two floors devoted to cancer research.
- The lab opened in 1940, marking a new era in academic cancer science.
Scientific Milestones
- 5-Fluorouracil, a cornerstone chemotherapy drug, was developed by Dr. Charles Heidelberger.
- Dr. Van R. Potter advanced the concept of combination chemotherapy in the early 1950s.
- Drs. James and Elizabeth Miller made seminal discoveries in chemical carcinogenesis.
- In 1970, Dr. Howard Temin’s discovery of reverse transcriptase earned a Nobel Prize, reshaping virology and cancer biology.
Growth and Recognition
- The lab received its first National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant in 1946.
- Became the Department of Oncology in 1947, offering graduate degrees in Experimental Oncology by 1955.
- Expanded facilities in 1964 and 1974 supported growing research and clinical programs.
- These efforts culminated in the formation of the UW Carbone Cancer Center, now an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.