Cancer Research UK launches £100m scheme to help beat cancer

Cancer Research UK has launched Grand Challenges – a £100m investment for international scientists to revolutionise the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer.

A panel of academics collaborated with worldwide cancer researchers and patients to set seven challenges that cover the most important unanswered questions in cancer research.

Dr Rick Klausner, chair of the Grand Challenge board and former director of the US National Cancer Institute said: “Cancer Research UK is challenging the very way we think about cancer by bringing together scientists and patients with fresh new ideas unconstrained by discipline or location. This is research on a scale never before attempted in cancer – it’s big, it’s bold and I’m very excited to be part of this journey.”

International scientists across all disciplines from academia, technology and business will be invited to develop innovative and ambitious approaches in relation to the challenges.

The first winning proposal will be announced in the autumn of 2016, with the successful team awarded up to £20 million to fund five or more years of research.

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) latest statistics reveal that approximately 14 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. This number is expected to rise globally by 70 per cent over the next two decades, with more than 60 per cent of cases occurring in Africa, Asia and Central and South America.

Commenting on her own personal experience, Margaret Grayson, a patient advisor on the Grand Challenge panel, added: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer alongside six other women I grew to be close friends with, and in the first five years I’ve been to all of their funerals. So I’m determined to see the odds improve for future cancer patients and I see the Grand Challenge as the way Cancer Research UK is going to do this.” Professor Nic Jones, Cancer Research UK’s chief scientist, said: “Thanks to the amazing advances in our understanding of cancer and the availability of powerful new technologies, we’re at a pivotal time in cancer research.

“The prospect of major advances in tackling cancer have never been greater, but to realise these opportunities we need to galvanise the global scientific community to unite and work together to solve some of the biggest challenges we face. By doing this we can transform the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

“This is a huge and bold commitment for Cancer Research UK and it’s already generating a lot of excitement. Cancer is a global problem and it demands a global response – we know that scientists around the world, and from varied disciplines, will have brilliant and innovative ideas to address these challenges and we can’t wait to see them.”

During the next five years, Cancer Research UK plans to make at least five Grand Challenge awards to stimulate fresh thinking and investment in multiple areas of cancer research.

For further information about the Grand Challenges and to make a donation, visit: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/how-we-deliver-research/grand-challenge-award?wssl=1.