The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives (CSSI) has as its mission the task of planning, developing, executing, and implementing rapid strategic scientific and technology initiatives that keep the Institute ahead of the scientific curve with respect to potential new exciting areas and discoveries. This may involve the development and application of advanced technologies, synergy of large scale and individual initiated research, and/or forging novel partnerships that emphasize innovation, trans-disciplinary teams and convergence of scientific disciplines to enable the translation of discoveries into new interventions, both domestically and in the international arena, to detect, prevent and treat cancer more effectively. This presentation will highlight various programs and their associated accomplishments within CSSI’s broad scientific portfolio (Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers, Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies, and Provocative Questions) and describe future directions and potential opportunities for biomedical engineering efforts in cancer research.