To attain improvements in all key areas of research in cancer care including cancer prevention, control and treatment, the research performed at ORCI are governed and conducted in order of priority.

In recognition of the meagre human and financial resources available, priority is given to those researches that focus in solving or identifying cancer care problems at the institute and Tanzania as a whole.

Research is recognized as part and parcel of the activities performed by staff in the Institute. Every eligible staff must take it as one of their duties, he/she is obliged to perform regardless of the researcher level.

One can either be a principal investigator, a co- investigator, a data collector or a research assistant. The categories of investigators can be decided. Investigators from outside ORCI can also be included. 

In view of this ORCI defines categories of investigators as follows:

• Professional staff at ORCI;
• Collaborators (i.e. investigator(s) from outside ORCI but will have to collaborate with investigator(s) at ORCI); and
• Non-collaborators (i.e. will include students e.g. MD, Master students, PhD, Nursing) – will be allowed to conduct their studies under the condition that copies of their proposals and final write-ups need to be presented to the Institute