Cancer Research UK plans to double its research activities

Cancer Research UK has appointed Professor David Critchley as the charity’s Executive Director of Science.

Prof Critchley will be responsible for driving forward the charity’s pioneering research agenda. He will lead Cancer Research UK’s efforts to double the scale of its scientific activities to £350m a year by 2010.

These research activities will accelerate the progress being made by Cancer Research UK in preventing cancer, in detecting cancers earlier and in developing effective new treatments.

Prof Critchley joins Cancer Research UK from a leading role in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Leicester (including ten years as Head of Department). He has had links with the charity since 2004 when he joined its Scientific Executive Board and was appointed chairman of Cancer Research UK’s Programme Grants Committee.

Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive, Professor Alex Markham, says: “I am delighted to announce that Professor David Critchley is taking up this vital role at the charity. His wide experience and ongoing research involvement will be an invaluable asset to us.

“David has pursued a wide range of administrative activities during his academic career, alongside his research. As well as university teaching and leadership, this has included membership and chairmanship of major national funding committees for the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.

“This work has given David great insights in to the organisation of research at national level and has positioned him ideally to lead the work of our world class scientists.

Prof Critchley will oversee Cancer Research UK’s work in its directly-funded research institutes across the UK, take responsibility for all of Cancer Research UK’s scientific activities (funded through programme grants, project grants and personal fellowship or student awards) in UK universities, through a budget of approximately £100m a year.

In addition, Prof Critchley will oversee the development of the newest of the charity’s core-funded institutes, the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute. Due to open in 2006, this is one of the major new cancer research initiatives in the UK, with an overall aim to bring the scientific and clinical resources of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital to bear on the practical problems of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.

Prof Critchley says: “I am looking forward to taking up this exciting role at Cancer Research UK. The charity has made great progress in the last few years and has many ambitious plans for the future. I relish the challenge of turning those into reality and building on its successful achievements so far.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Peter Flynn in the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 7061 8305 or, out of hours, the duty press officer on 07050 264059