Cambridge scientists are set to receive a major cash injection from Cancer Research UK, which has announced plans to invest over £41 million over the next five years at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, one of the University of Cambridge’s Strategic Research Initiatives. The funding will help support ground-breaking work as part of the development of a unique chain of research hubs around the UK.
Cambridge scientists are set to receive a major cash injection from Cancer Research UK, which has announced plans to invest over £41 million over the next five years at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, one of the University of Cambridge’s Strategic Research Initiatives. The funding will help support ground-breaking work as part of the development of a unique chain of research hubs around the UK.
The investment means we will be able to further develop our work in translational research – getting cutting-edge discoveries from the laboratory to patients and learning as much as possible from patients to initiate new research
Richard Gilbertson
A key part of the funding will involve training the next generation of cancer researchers - including 45 PhD students - to ensure the brightest scientists are attracted to Cambridge.
The award will also fund research nurses and data managers, and help build patient groups, and facilitate tissue sample collection and processing which is essential for life saving research.
Professor Richard Gilbertson, Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, said: “This funding award is excellent news for the city and for our Centre. It represents a critical investment in the research infrastructure in Cambridge and will equip us with the key laboratory and clinical tools needed to advance the understanding and treatment of cancer.
“This is an exciting collaboration of researchers, scientists and clinicians from Cancer Research UK, the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as well as the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies across the city. It’s an alliance that allows us to make use of a wide range of expertise and techniques that can help progress cancer research and bring benefits to patients sooner.
“The investment means we will be able to further develop our work in translational research – getting cutting-edge discoveries from the laboratory to patients and learning as much as possible from patients to initiate new research.”
The Centre brings together leading scientists, doctors and nurses to push forward improvements in early diagnosis and to find and develop better, kinder treatments. In particular, researchers are focusing on breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, oesophageal, blood, prostate and children’s cancers and brain tumours.
Danielle Glavin, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the East, said: “This award is a recognition of the fantastic research that’s taking place in Cambridge. One in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives - so it’s reassuring to know that, thanks to our supporters, Cancer Research UK is able to fund some of the best and most promising research in Cambridge that will help more people survive.”
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. For image use please see separate credits above.
