Cancer Grand Challenges: Embarking on a new era of discovery

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Season's greetings from Cancer Grand Challenges

Dear Voornaam,

As we approach the end of an unusual year, we want to wish you, your family, friends and colleagues a happy holiday.

Despite the obstacles 2020 has presented, we’re inspired by the progress our Cancer Grand Challenges community has made. Our 7 funded teams have pushed forward with vital work against all odds – you can read about some of their progress in our blog. We’ve launched an unprecedented global partnership between Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute and we’ve revealed 9 new challenges to galvanise the global research community. None of this would have been possible without the dedication, expertise and hard work of our teams of researchers and advocates, our partners and supporters.

You’ll see evidence of the passion and dedication from our community on our website – we’ve recently launched a News and Insight area, bringing together the latest research, people stories and commentary on emerging science. If you are interested in getting involved – sharing new research, advocacy activity or progress – we’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you a happy, healthy 2021. We’re excited to see what the new year will bring.

Best wishes,
The Cancer Grand Challenges team

Everything you need to know

PRE-APPLICATION WEBINAR

If you’re interested in applying to tackle one of our new cancer grand challenges, we’re running a virtual event to talk through everything you need to know about how to apply, and to answer any questions you have about the application process.

Date: 12 Jan 2021
Time: 16:00 GMT/ 10:00 EST
Location: Online via WebEx

For those who can’t join live, the event will be recorded and posted on our website.

 
Sign up now
 

DELVING INTO OUR NEW CHALLENGES

In October, we posed 9 new challenges to the research community, each with the potential to change the way we think about cancer. Through our new blog series, members of our Cancer Grand Challenges Scientific Committee reflect on where a global, multidisciplinary team could take us with each challenge.

 

On our website so far, hear from:

Professor Crystal Mackall
 

Professor Crystal Mackall, Stanford University, on the solid tumours in children challenge

Professor Sir David Lane
 

Professor Sir David Lane, Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), on the macromolecules challenge

Professor Rene Bernards
 

Professor Rene Bernards, Netherlands Cancer Institute, on the senescence challenge

Explore all articles
 
 

AACR CANCER DISCOVERY: EMBARKING ON A NEW ERA OF DISCOVERY

Why is now the time to build on seminal discoveries to overcome otherwise intractable barriers?

In a commentary article for AACR Cancer Discovery In Focus, Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, and Dr Ned Sharpless, Director of the National Cancer Institute, discuss the 9 challenges currently open for application.

“Making progress in these fields and attempting to solve these challenges, we believe, demands a new approach. We’re seeking to harness ideas from diverse scientific disciplines and the broadest range of experts.”

Read the article in full
 
 

NEW PUBLICATIONS AREA ON WEBSITE

Cancer Grand Challenges is driving radical progress through the sharing of new ideas, knowledge and cutting-edge techniques. This includes new findings published in peer-reviewed journals.

On our website you’ll now find a list of publications that feature research supported by Cancer Grand Challenges.

Explore all publications
 

REMINDER OF THE NEW CHALLENGES

 

Expression of interest open until 22 April 2021

Cachexia logo
 
Cachexia
 

Understand and reverse cachexia and declining performance status in cancer patients

Dormancy logo
 
Dormancy
 

Identify and target dormant cancer cells

E-cigarettes logo
 
E-cigarettes
 

Determine the potential benefits and risks of e-cigarette use

 
Extrachromosomal DNA
 
Extrachromosomal DNA
 

Understand the biology of ecDNA generation and action, and develop approaches to target these mechanisms in cancer

Inflammation logo
 
Inflammation
 

Determine how inflammation causes cancer

Macromolecules
 
Macromolecules
 

Systemically deliver macromolecules to intracellular targets for therapeutic benefit in cancer

 
Normal phenotypes logo
 
Normal phenotypes
 

Understand how cells and tissues maintain ‘normal’ phenotypes whilst harbouring oncogenic mutations and how they transition to become a tumour

Senescence logo
 
Senescence
 

Understand and exploit senescence to improve cancer treatment

Solid tumours in children
 
Solid tumours in children
 

Develop novel therapies to target unique features in solid tumours in children

Find out more