Survey of research on tumor immunology funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China

Abstract

Tumor immunology is a very young field to study the relationship of tumor immunogenity, body immunity with tumor development and growth, immune response, antitumor immunity mechanism, tumor immunodiagnosis, and immunotherapy. It is a hot area in both life science and medicine. Tumor immunology is also an important area to which National Natural Science Foundation of China are heavily supporting. Here, we reviewed the 10-year history of grant application and supports on tumor immunology funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 2007 to 2016. Additionally, we showed the research progress and current situation of tumor immunology in China, and the scientific frontline and existing problems in this field were proposed as well. This paper summarized the situations of proposal application, and funded applications in the field of tumor immunology under the codes of Oncology by National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2007–2016. First, we analyzed the codes which under the category of tumor immunology. From the information we collected in the past decade, we observed robust increases in both application and funded application in regular projects, young investigator projects and area projects. The total volumes of applications are 3928 in the past decade and the annual growth rate ranged from 6.59% to 32.54%. The total funded projects are 711, with the same annual growth rate. We also analyzed the specific fields and the codes distributions of the funded projects in the China tumor immunology research, which including applications and funded applications of large projects (outstanding young investigator funds, excellent young investigator funds and key projects). Finally, we studied the sub-area which are most funded. We found most of the funded projects are focused on tumor microenvironment immunosuppression, tumor immune escape in relapse and metastasis, tumor immunotherapy, and immunotherapy targets identification and application. The results indicated the critical topic and research areas which the researchers might be interested in and the directions of national tumor immunology research. The findings also pointed out the current situation, trends and existing problems in tumor immunology study. All the information from this article will help the researchers to track the national tumor immunology research trend. It also helps the foundation administrators to make corresponding policy to facility the research projects in tumor immunology.