| Dear Voornaam,
Welcome to your weekly Cancer Research UK Research Update email.
These are, it hardly needs pointing out, tumultuous times. And for those at an early stage in their careers, especially PhD students, we recognise the rising cost of living is becoming a barrier to your life as a researcher.
As inflation hits a 40-year high, I want you to know that we are actively discussing with other research funders and reviewing the support we offer. We will communicate any decision later this year that results from these discussions and our own work in this area.
Enabling our post-graduate students to remain in cancer research is one of the many challenges we face when attempting to create the ideal conditions to push forward cancer science. As CRUK Chairman, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, talks about in the latest episode of our podcast, Cancer Research Matters, another, particularly stubborn, issue is capitalising on those unpredictable moments that science can throw up.
How can we allow you to progress with your specific project while at the same time having the space and freedom to try something new… something different? The most impactful research can sometimes come from unexpected places. Those chance moments – an impromptu chat with a colleague or perhaps an experiment you thought was unimportant but the results from which fundamentally shift your thinking – can sometimes lead to the breakthroughs which will help bring forward the day all cancers are cured.
So how can we foster these unpredictable moments? It’s not easy but there are levers we can pull to try and give you the freedom to think differently. Such as supporting multidisciplinary approaches, fostering environments across our network where skills and facilities are shared, and of course, bringing people together for conferences and networking.
Kind regards
Iain
Iain Foulkes
Executive Director Research & Innovation
CEO Cancer Research Horizons
Cancer Research UK |
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Funding & Research Opportunities |
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| | | Applications accepted all-year round |
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DISCOVER: A YEAR OF SCIENTIFIC CREATIVITY Check out Cancer Grand Challenges’ annual progress magazine showcasing the progress that is being made against some of cancer’s toughest challenges.
Read about the surprising information about cancer biology that can be unlocked by studying non-cancerous tissue, and surprising findings about the progression of breast carcinomas which could influence overtreatment in the clinic. Plus, meet the global network of early-career researchers developing a novel imaging pipeline to build intricate, 3D maps of tumour samples.
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| NEW PODCAST EPISODE! “Be respectful of failure... it doesn’t make you a bad scientistâ€
The creative act of science: 20 years of leadership in cancer research
In this episode of Cancer Research Matters we speak to CRUK Chairman Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. He talks about the chance coffee room chat that led to the development of the HPV vaccine, the difficulties of navigating a research career and why we must start to embrace failure… even a negative result, he says, is positive. |
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SNEAK PEEK AT THE BLACK IN CANCER CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Just over two months until the Black in Cancer conference – are you ready to join the conversation around the role of the Black community in cancer research?
Our latest confirmed speakers include Dean Fennell (University of Leicester), Naomi Elster (Prostate Cancer Research), Leanne Pero (Black Women Rising) and Fiyinfolu and Onyinye Balogun (The Onc Docs).
Join these speakers and more for sessions like ‘What does Black in Cancer mean to you?’, ‘Patients are the Co-Creators of Research’ and of course our Future Leaders session focusing on empowering the next generation.
Full ticket refunds available to undergraduates and PhD students following their attendance at the event. |
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| HELP SHAPE OUR CANCER INEQUALITIES STRATEGY Addressing cancer inequalities is a strategic priority for CRUK.
We need your help to understand what the biggest challenges are in designing or undertaking research addressing these inequalities, and how we can help tackle them.
Take this 15-minute survey by 8th August to share your experiences and shape our new research strategy on cancer inequalities. Please share with your networks to help us reach a broad community of cancer researchers. |
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ABSTRACT DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER CONFERENCE Don’t miss out on the opportunity to present your work at this year’s conference. You have until 19 August to submit an abstract to be considered for a lightning talk. We’re providing 5 complimentary registrations and travel bursaries for UK-based students and postdocs whose abstracts are selected.
Taking place in Portland from 18–20 October, this year’s conference will feature lively debates and the chance to hear from leading early detection experts including Tom Beer (Exact Sciences), Karen Knudsen (American Cancer Society), Rebecca Fitzgerald (University of Cambridge) and Curtis Huttenhower (Harvard University).
We still some have discounted tickets up for grabs for UK researchers – use code UK20EDx at checkout for 20% off. |
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NCRI PUBLISHES STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IN RADIOTHERAPY RESEARCH The NCRI Radiotherapy (CTRad) Group has published its strategic priorities in radiotherapy research to address challenges in the field and improve outcomes for patients.
The group have identified the four strategic priorities it believes need to be addressed by the community to improve outcomes for patients: Translating novel discoveries to and from the clinic Evaluating and optimal implementation of new radiotherapy technologies Generating evidence to change practice Real-world patient experience and evidence
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CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY CANDIDATE TO ADVANCE INTO CLINICAL TRIALS We are excited to announce that we will be bringing Sosei Heptares’ novel cancer immunotherapy candidate to clinical trials at our Centre for Drug Development.
The Centre will sponsor, design and execute the Phase I/IIa clinical trials, investigating the drug’s effect on patient survival. The drug selectively blocks the EP4 prostaglandin receptor – associated with tumour cell growth and immune evasion.
If successful, it could become an effective treatment for patients with a range of cancers including colorectal, gastroesophageal, head and neck and prostate cancer. |
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WILL POLITICS KEEP US FROM ACCESSING EU SCIENCE FUNDING? Amid the current political turmoil, the Government must remain focussed on a solution to post-Brexit science funding and opportunities for international collaboration. Policy around how UK scientists will access EU funding is something of a mess at the moment... luckily for us, our policy department are on hand to start to make sense of it.
Click here to get an update on the current state of play, what you can do to help and what we know about the Government’s ‘Plan B’. |
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| | | London, UK 05 September 2022 |
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| | | Cambridge, UK 20 September 2022 |
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| | | London, UK 10 October 2022 |
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| | | Amsterdam, Netherlands 14 October 2022 |
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| | | Portland, Oregon, USA 18 October 2022 |
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| | | Manchester, UK 15 November 2022 |
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| | | East Sussex, UK 04 December 2022 |
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