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Cancer Research UK makes unprecedented £173m commitment to world-class research in Cambridge

by Amy Warnock , Patrick Keely | News

15 October 2024

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An image of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute
The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute

Today, we’re excited to announce a £173m investment in our Cambridge Institute – the largest single grant we have ever awarded outside of London.  

The award, which will support the Institute over the next seven years, will enable world-class discovery science, unlocking new insights into how cancers develop, grow and spread, as well as examining how the immune system can be harnessed to combat the disease.    

“In a golden era for life sciences, this funding bolsters Cambridge as a major global hub for cancer research on an increasingly competitive worldwide stage and will greatly aid the recruitment of top-tier international talent,” said Professor Greg Hannon, Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute.  

The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute 

The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute was established in 2007 and was the first new major cancer research centre in the UK for over 50 years.  

In 2013, it became a department of the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, strengthening links with researchers across the University and further enhancing its position as a world leader with research transitioning into clinical trials, and ultimately new and better cancer treatments.  

There are over 300 scientists at the Institute working on groundbreaking discoveries and taking them from the laboratory bench to patient’s bedsides.  

“The Institute serves as a foundation for the entire Cambridge cancer research community through access to cutting-edge equipment and technical expertise,” said Hannon. 

“Only through understanding all aspects of the disease can we prevent, detect and treat cancer so that everybody can lead longer, better lives, free from fear of cancer. 

“With this new funding, the Institute aims to accelerate its impact for patients, with new schemes to integrate clinicians into every aspect of our research and to embrace new technologies, including the promise of machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance our discovery portfolio.”   

Want to explore our Cambridge Institute? Check out our drone fly-through tour:

World class research 

The work at our Cambridge Institute focuses on understanding every stage of the cancer life cycle, including how tumours grow and spread and how this is impacted by the characteristics of each individual patient. 

This includes research from Professor Greg Hannon and his team, who have been using virtual reality technology to explore every cell and aspect of breast cancer tumours in unprecedented detail. Looking at tumours with this new perspective could give researchers the understanding they need to develop new ways to diagnose and treat cancer, stopping it from spreading and coming back. 

Researchers at our Cambridge Institute are also looking at the tumour microenvironment – the non-cancer cells, blood vessels, and immune cells in and around tumours. Learning how a tumour interacts with its microenvironment can help scientists to predict how well immunotherapy treatments work. 

To help improve survival, our scientists are also working to find new ways to detect cancer earlier, predict the best course of treatments and tailor therapies to individual needs. This includes using tumour DNA, which can be found in blood, to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and catch signs that a cancer might be returning.  

Work at the Institute is also looking at specific mutations in people’s tumours to see how they behave and respond to treatments. This allows for specific treatments to be developed and matched to the specific genetic changes.  

A welcome investment 

News of this investment was welcomed by Christine, age 76, who has overcome cancer twice and supported her two sisters when they were also diagnosed with the disease.    

Christine and her sisters Jennifer and Dorothy have all had bowel cancer but, thanks to cancer research, they have all recovered well and are living happy, healthy lives.  

Christine standing outside a house and smiling at the camera
Christine is now in remission with no signs of cancer

 

Christine was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma – a type of blood cancer – in 1995. As part of her treatment, she was given 12 doses of chemotherapy and made a full recovery, but then last year she was given the devastating news that she had bowel cancer.    

After surgery and treatment, including a chemotherapy drug called capecitabine, which our scientists helped to develop, Christine was told she is in remission with no signs of cancer.  

Now, she and her sisters, have vowed to do everything they can to help give others more moments with their loved ones by raising vital awareness.  

“I understand more than most the devastating impact this terrible disease has on families and believe there is only one way to beat cancer: through investing in science and more research,” said Christine.  

“The world-class, life-saving work being funded right here in Cambridge is bringing hope to thousands of people like me now and in the future – long may it continue.”     

Our commitment to beating cancer 

The £173m announced today further highlights our unwavering commitment to our mission to beat cancer. We’re investing in exciting new research programmes and are on track to invest more than £1.5bn on research over a five-year period from 2021/22 to 2025/26.  

“We are delighted to confirm this incredible investment which is a reflection of the world-leading research community at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute,” said Michelle Mitchell, our chief executive.   

“The funding will underpin long-term cutting-edge discovery research, as well as supporting researchers to find new ways to improve cancer prevention and treatment, while creating innovative solutions to diagnose the disease earlier.  

“This kind of funding would not be possible without the generosity of Cancer Research UK supporters and philanthropists. “ 

While today’s announcement is being celebrated, it is set against the backdrop of a tough economic climate. Despite being the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research, we’ve had to turn down funding for outstanding research projects every year due to resources not being available. 

The UK is unusual in that the majority of non-commercial cancer research is funded by charities (62%) compared to the government (38%). Per capita, the UK government spends far less on cancer research compared to the US – a position that’s considered to be a major barrier to the UK’s competitiveness as a world-leading research nation.   

We need to see sustained, long-term government investment across the research and innovation sector. That’s why we’re campaigning for the new UK Government to make this a turning point for cancer. You can add your voice to the campaign here.  

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