Current progress in defining genomic and molecular changes in tumors is creating new opportunities to drive drug discovery, assign patients to clinical trials, and, if successful, will provide a foundation for more-precise and personalized cancer medicine. Innovative, computationally-focused and other approaches to this data "tsunami" are needed to maximize its potential. But these approaches must also incorporate new translational research models that include networks of academic, public and private sector organizations along with the creation of innovation centers that enable commercialization of emerging technologies. The NCI comprehensive cancer centers represent a powerful national network with the capabilities needed to achieve much of this vision. In doing so, they promise to produce an additional benefit - more-robust hubs of regional economic development. Is this an achievable vision? If so, how can progress be accelerated? If not, what should the NCI (and the cancer centers) do to enable its achievement?