| Dear Voornaam, Welcome to your January newsletter. Happy New Year I hope you and your family are well, and you had a restful time over the holidays. With the UK entering another lockdown, were aware of the potential strain on clinical services and impact on research that this current wave of the pandemic brings. Weve recently updated our Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for grantholders about the re-deployment of clinical researchers to support NHS services and clinical trial recruitment. We understand this continues to be a period of significant disruption for you and your teams. Well continue to support you through this period and help minimise the impact of your research activities by offering as much flexibility as we can.
Were committed to advancing research into therapies, diagnostics and technology for patient benefit. To do this, the knowledge and expertise of researchers must combine with the capability and scale of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry to develop and launch products into the market. Together with our clinical partnership lead, George Tzircotis, and our chief business officer, Tony Hickson, weve co-authored a Nature Reviews Cancer Comment article explaining how and why Cancer Research UK (CRUK) can facilitate these crucial collaborations between academia and industry in a way that safeguards the interests of the research community.
Lastly, Im pleased to share the great news that Ian Walker has been appointed Executive Director of Policy, Information and Communications at CRUK and is due to start in March 2021. Ian joined in 2006 and has since held various roles, most recently as Director of Research where he has been responsible for our external research portfolio spanning discovery science, translational and clinical research. He has been a great colleague and Im so pleased that he is joining the executive board at such an important time for the organisation. Please join me in congratulating Ian on this new appointment. While 2021 has started with very mixed news with concern about the spread of the highly infectious new strain of the virus, and now a national lockdown, there is considerable hope as the mass vaccination programme gets underway.
Kind regards,
Iain Foulkes Executive Director, Research & Innovation Cancer Research UK |
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| | | An Allied Health Professionals Academy Research Radiographer Project 24 January 2021 |
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| | | ESTABLISHED INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER, CLINICIAN
05 May 2021 |
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| | | Applications accepted all-year round |
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A SPOTLIGHT ON MANCHESTERS RESEARCH IN 2020 During 2020, we were inspired by the resilience and determination of our researchers, who have continued their lifesaving work despite the ongoing challenges. Four Manchester-based researchers shared an insight about working through a pandemic and their thoughts on what 2021 may hold. Dr Julia Morris spent time volunteering at one of the COVID-19 Lighthouse Labs. Steve Bagley used the 3D printing facilities at the CRUK Manchester Institute to produce PPE for NHS departments across the country. Charlotte Bell, final year PhD student, spent time analysing data and preparing for experiments during lockdown. Professor Tim Somervailles lab published a paper in the Journal of Clinical Oncology a culmination of a decade of research about a Phase I trial on the use of LSD1 inhibitor as a possible treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia. |
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| OUR RESEARCHERS ARE HONOURED AND RECOGNISED Last month, several of our researchers were honoured with awards in recognition of their work and for their contribution to research. Warm congratulations to: John Marioni, senior group leader at the CRUK Cambridge Institute, who was honoured by the 2021 Blavatnik Awards. John has been recognised for pioneering the statistical analysis of gene expression patterns in individual cells, which has led to a radical paradigm shift in the field of transcriptomics. Vivian Li, group leader at the Francis Crick Institute, who is the 2021 winner of the Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal. Vivian has been recognised for establishing her independent research groups and her contributions to the understanding of WNT signalling in both intestinal homeostasis and cancer. Vivian was also awarded our Future Leaders in Cancer Research Prize in 2018. |
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| | REGISTRATION NOW OPEN: EARLY DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH VIRTUAL SERIES Registration is now open for the free 2021 CRUK Early Diagnosis Research Virtual Series. From Wednesday 3 February, there will be 4 sessions covering key topics about early diagnosis research and how to translate this work into policy and practice. Each session will take place for 23 hours in the afternoon, and topics include: Cancer Screening: Current Challenges and Opportunities (Wed 3 Feb) The Early Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Roadmap - Creating the Future (Wed 10 Feb) Optimising Management of Suspected Cancer in Primary Care (Wed 24 Feb) Improving Cancer Pathways showcasing insight and evidence from across the UK (Wed 3 Mar) If you have any questions, send an email to EDConference@cancer.org.uk. |
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A PROMISING FIRST YEAR FOR THE EARLY DETECTION RESEARCH ALLIANCE In 2019, we united with five of the worlds foremost centres in early detection research to launch a new transatlantic partnership The International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED). The Alliance brings together leaders in early detection research to work together to generate novel ideas and share knowledge. One year on, we looked back at four recently awarded research projects which show how the Alliance is building a scientifically diverse and collaborative research community in the UK and US. |
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| EARLY DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER ROADMAP WEBINAR RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE Leaders in the industry, healthcare and research sectors recently joined us to discuss the future of early detection and diagnosis and how the recommendations in our recently launched Early Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Roadmap can help accelerate progress. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions. If you missed the webinar, the recording is now available for you to watch. |
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| | ABSTRACT DEADLINE APPROACHING: CANCER PREVENTION CONFERENCE Join us on 2325 February for the Cancer Prevention Physical Activity Virtual Conference. In collaboration with Ludwig Cancer Research, were bringing together leaders in the field to discuss key advances and obstacles preventing progress. View the full agenda and secure your free place by 12 February.
If youre an early or mid-career researcher, dont miss the chance to showcase your work during the conference. Abstract submissions close on 18 January. |
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NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR PRE-CLINICAL STUDIES Are you a clinician or translational researcher seeking our support for non-regulatory pre-clinical studies before starting your clinical trial? You can now apply for funding to support your pre-clinical study as part of your CRUK Clinical Trial Award outline application. Well cover costs associated with non-regulatory pre-clinical studies necessary for early-phase cancer treatment trials, including, but not limited to: proof-of-concept studies for drug re-purposing; novel combination approaches for drugs post-candidate stage. Outline application deadline: 5 May 2021 |
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| OUR FREE COURSE ON TARGETED TREATMENTS IS BACK Are you or your colleagues part of a clinical trials team and interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how targeted cancer treatments work? Our free online Demystifying Targeted Cancer Treatments course is back on FutureLearn with facilitation from its lead educators on Monday 8 February 2021.
Over five weeks, the course debunks the science behind some of the latest targeted treatments and immunotherapies changing the face of cancer care. Youll hear from leading scientists, doctors and nurses treating patients. Also, Dr Elaine Vickers, Anne Croudass, our lead research nurse, and course mentors will be online to answer your questions. |
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NEW PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS As part of our Entrepreneurial Programmes Initiative, weve partnered with The Entrepreneurship Centre at Cambridge Judge Business School. Well support their education programmes, such as EnterpriseTECH, that equip PhD students and postdocs with the necessary skills and resources to develop their own business ideas and translate their research from bench to bedside.
Tony Hickson, our chief business officer, said: The skills required to translate academic research into real-world solutions are vital for improving the lives of cancer patients. Thats why we want to support researchers the best we can by partnering with organisations like the Cambridge Judge Business School. |
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| THE POWERFUL POTENTIAL OF SENESCENCE In a recent blog series, Cancer Grand Challenges Scientific Committee Member, Ren Bernards, reflects on the power of senescence to unlock new approaches in cancer research. He suggests a one-two punch therapeutic approach whereby inducing senescence could expose a vulnerability in the tumour that could be targeted. His research group have published a proof-of-concept study demonstrating this approach in pre-clinical models. However, using this approach in the clinic is yet to be seen.
Rene comments that what excites him most about the challenge is its potential using a natural defence mechanism of the human body against oncogenic transformation and turning it into a tool to treat cancer. The senescence challenge is one of nine new Cancer Grand Challenges open to the international research community right now. |
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| | | The new medicine of DNA repair pathways: damage repair vulnerabilities in cancer 2:00 PM 11 February 2021 |
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| | | Register by 25 January 2021 16 February 2021 |
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| | | Secure your free place by 12 February 2021
23 February 2021 |
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| | | Register your interest for the 2021 event. You will be first in line to know when registration opens. 06 October 2021 |
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