This last quarter has certainly been an exciting one for the initiative.
Our funded teams have continued to publish exciting findings, providing novel insights in their challenge areas: the Rosetta team showed that metabolic profiling of intestinal samples can be used to understand what the genetic drivers are within a tissue and help to identify new potential targets for treatment. The PRECISION team revealed important insights on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) progression to invasive breast cancer thanks to a new DNA sequencing method they have developed that can be used to profile decades-old, archived tissue samples. You can read more on this below.
As an initiative, not only did we announce the 12 teams shortlisted for a Cancer Grand Challenges Award, September also saw us announce amajor international partnership between Cancer Research UK and Institut National du Cancer in France to fund world-class researchers to take on cancer’s toughest challenges through Cancer Grand Challenges. 
I am as excited as ever about the future of Cancer Grand Challenges, and the way that our community is expanding so that we can continue to deliver transformational research.Â
Sincerely,
David Scott Director, Cancer Grand ChallengesÂ
New partnership
On 26 September, we announced a major new €10m (ÂŁ8.6m) partnership between Cancer Research UK and France’s Institut National Du Cancer to tackle cancer’s toughest challenges through the Cancer Grand Challenges initiative. Â
In September, we announced the teams who have been shortlisted for a Cancer Grand Challenges award. These 12 teams will now receive seed funding to help them build their full applications, and will attend an interview with the Cancer Grand Challenges Scientific Committee in December 2023. Winning teams will be announced in March 2024.
Three members of the Cancer Grand Challenges Advocacy Panel attended the VOICE course hosted by the Independent Cancer Patients Voice group at Barts Cancer Institute in London. The members spent the week immersed in the world of cancer research, focusing on lectures and lab sessions led by expert researchers, including Professor John Marshall of Team Rosetta.
Claire James, member of our Advocacy Panel, said: “It was an intensive, fantastic course. The lecturers and lab teams who gave their time to help us understand quite complex topics were all amazingly supportive. I was so impressed by their knowledge, skill, dedication & integrity - an amazing group of people!”
On September 21, Professor Jelle Wesseling, who leads the Cancer Grand Challenges team PRECISION, was a featured speaker at the Economist’s World Cancer Series conference in Brussels. He sat on a panel focused on women's cancers, and spoke about team PRECISION's work in avoiding unnecessary procedures and stress to improve quality of life in women with DCIS. Â
Team Mutographs’ Final Year Research Retreat was held at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon last month. Bringing together team members from across the world – including members of PROMINENT who work closely with Mutographs – the meeting celebrated the work and impact of the team as they enter their final year of Cancer Grand Challenges funding.
In 2017, the team was awarded $25m to take on our unusual mutation patterns challenge. Since then, they have reshaped our understanding of cancer-causing mutations, uncovering common, geographically variable, mutagenic exposures that likely contribute to the internationally differing cancer incidence rates observed worldwide. In doing so, the team challenged the idea that carcinogens almost always act through mutations, and rejuvenated the cancer promotion field, sparking team PROMINENT's inception.
Media highlights
This Guardian article, published on 8 September, features Dean Jones, professor at the Emory Winship Cancer Institute and team lead for recently shortlisted team Pandora. Dean highlights some of the possible contributing factors to the increase in early-onset cancers, while emphasising that it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what the causes are given the sheer number of carcinogens.
Cancer Research UK survey: Are we getting it right?Â
As a valued member of the global research community, Cancer Research UK is inviting you to share your point of view to improve how it keeps in touch and share information about research.  Take part by 16 October – the survey shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to complete. Â
