SAN DIEGO -- The National Cancer Institute has renewed the Moores Univeristy of California San Diego Cancer Center's status as one of 40 federally designated "comprehensive centers'' in the United States, it was reported Monday.

With the renewal comes $21 million to be disbursed over the next five years. The money will be spent on personnel and equipment to run 10 programs at the cancer center, including the DNA sequencing lab, electron microscopy services and an office that coordinates clinical trials, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The UCSD center, which has more than 330 clinicians and researchers, received its "comprehensive'' status in August 2001.

The staff works on an array of topics dealing with cancer, such as molecular genetics, drug design, pain control, and imaging and testing techniques.