| Dear Voornaam, Welcome to your March newsletter. I hope you and your family are well. This month sees us publishing our refreshed research strategy. I'd like to invite you to attend our strategy broadcast on 23 March to learn more about our new strategy and how it may impact your research, from members of the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) leadership team.
To celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March, our Women of Influence initiative is holding a 1-day conference. The initiative pairs CRUK-funded female scientists with leading businesswomen for early career mentorship. Keep an eye on our Twitter channel on the day.
Great news that we're once again sponsoring the Excellence in Cancer Research Nursing category of the Royal College of Nursing's Nursing Awards. I encourage those who work as, or with, clinical research nurses to nominate someone and celebrate the role they play in delivering cancer studies and ensuring patients receive the best possible care and outcomes. Nominations are open until 25 March.
And finally, CRUK hugely values the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in getting scientific discoveries to the patient. If you’re interested in developing your entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, read on and get involved in our Innovation Summit, Venture Builder Incubator Demo Day and our OncoStars programme with Panacea Stars. Kind regards, Iain Foulkes Executive Director, Research & Innovation Cancer Research UK |
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| | | Applications accepted all-year round |
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| | HEAR ABOUT OUR REFRESHED RESEARCH STRATEGY There’s still time to register to attend our research strategy broadcast event on 23 March. Hear about our new strategic direction from Karen Vousden, chief scientist; Charlie Swanton, chief clinician; Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation; and Catherine Elliott, director of research and partnerships. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to ask any burning questions about the strategy and how it may impact your research. |
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 EMBRACING A FULL SPECTRUM OF RESEARCHERS In our latest blog post, Sebastian Greenhough from the CRUK Beatson Institute reflects on the value of human diversity in research and shares his personal story as an autistic researcher. Too often, disabilities and neurodiversity are viewed through a highly stereotyped lens – even in scientific communities. To change this, Sebastian is working to empower disabled and neurodiverse scientists to tell their stories on their own terms. In this piece, he highlights the benefits of autism for his career as a researcher. |
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|  DISEASE IN A DISH: MINI GUT ORGANOIDS AND THE CHALLENGES OF BOWEL CANCER Vivian Li from the Francis Crick Institute talks us through the most recent developments of her pioneering research in colorectal cancer treatment. Using various colorectal cancer models, including state-of-the-art organoids, her lab has uncovered a new possible drug target that selectively kills cancer cells – the USP7 protein. The promising translational potential of this finding could provide bowel cancer patients with safe and effective drug delivery, overcoming the toxicity issues related to non-specific treatments. |
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| | REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER CONFERENCE 2022 Registration to this year’s Early Detection of Cancer Conference (18–20 October) will be opening soon. In the meantime, register your interest to receive a 10% discount code to use when purchasing your ticket. This year’s Scientific Programme Committee – Shelly Barton, George Hanna and Tanya Stoyanova – are working hard behind the scenes to shape this year’s agenda. Key topics include microbiological risk factors, emerging technologies and multi-cancer detection tests. |
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 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTICANCER EARLY DETECTION TESTS David Crosby, our head of early detection and prevention research, is co-author on one of a series of papers published in the American Cancer Society's journal, Cancer, which look at how we can drive progress in early detection with multicancer early detection tests. While the tests show great potential, there are many unanswered questions around their implementation which require further research. And we need to better understand the biology of early disease to comprehend the prognosis of cancers detected by these tests. |
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|  NEW ARTICLE SERIES: ON CANCER The Manchester Cancer Research Centre has recently published On Cancer – a series of articles providing expert analysis and thought leadership on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The articles spotlight the evidence on which to base future policy implementations, from pioneering early detection and equal access of screening and treatments, to the use of cutting-edge radiotherapy techniques. |
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| | OUR INNOVATION SUMMIT IS BACK Our Innovation Summit will be in Newcastle on 26 May. Join us to hear from successful entrepreneurs who have commercialised their research and learn from members of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, our partners and industry. Confirmed speakers include Tony Hickson, our chief business officer; David Burn, director of Newcastle Health Innovation Partners; Ruth Plummer, professor of experimental cancer medicine at Newcastle University; and Martina Miotto, chief scientific officer of CellulaREvolution. |
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 DISCOVER INSPIRATIONAL CANCER START-UPS IN OUR UPCOMING DEMO DAY Join us on 25 March, in-person or online via livestream, for our upcoming Venture Builder Incubator Demo Day. It's a chance for start-ups who have taken part in the programme to showcase their innovative projects. The event is open to anyone wanting to get a flavour of the various start-ups based on cutting-edge, data-driven research that address major challenges – including cancer. You'll be able to vote for your favourite team in real-time and meet them afterwards. The Venture Builder Incubator is our entrepreneurial programme in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Innovations. |
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|  PROGRESS YOUR RESEARCH THROUGH THE ONCOSTARS ACTION PROGRAMME Whether you have a budding research idea or a start-up that aims to diagnose, treat or prevent cancer, you can apply to our OncoStars Action programme with Panacea Stars. It’s a programme that will inspire you to think about your research differently. We'll show you how an entrepreneur approaches research and support you to commercially develop your ideas to benefit people with cancer. You will receive entrepreneurial training, access to professional networks, mentoring from industry experts, and a tailored pipeline and market strategy to suit your needs. Deadline: 22 May |
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 REGISTERED REPORTS FUNDING PARTNERSHIP LAUNCHED We’ve launched a registered reports pilot with the University of Bristol’s TARG-Meta Research Group and a consortium of 13 top journals, to improve transparency in research. Registered reports make research methodology and findings more accessible by de-linking results and publication. The first phase is limited to applicants for CRUK's Early Detection & Diagnosis Research and Prevention & Population Research project awards. |
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|  STICK TO SCIENCE We’ve joined the Stick to Science initiative, an online signature campaign which launched in response to the delayed progression of association agreements with Switzerland and the UK to Horizon Europe and the European Research Area. As a signatory, we’re joining the call for the European Council, Parliament, Commission, EU Member States, and governments of the UK and Switzerland to recognise that advancement in research and innovation is best achieved when we collaborate regardless of geographic boundaries. |
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| | REGISTER FOR NCRI’S WOMEN IN CANCER RESEARCH EVENT Join the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) on 8 March from 12–1PM (GMT) for their International Women’s Day event. The session will feature Alexandra Gilbert, Pamela Kearns, Serena Nik-Zainal, Bethany Rothwell and Olivia Rossanese as they discuss their careers in cancer research, the challenges they have faced and how their passions have allowed them to overcome these challenges. More information on how to register can be found on NCRI's website. |
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| | HAVE YOU LISTENED TO OUR NEW PODCAST? Last month, we launched a brand-new podcast for the cancer research community, Cancer Research Matters, to stimulate conversations about developing new therapies. In our first episode, Ruth Plummer sheds light on how the DNA repair inhibition field has changed over 20 years, her instrumental role in the development of the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib and why work/life balance is so important in the life of a researcher. Stay tuned for our next episode, featuring Stephen Jackson. |
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| | | Addressing the challenges of integrating clinical care and research delivery and exploring the value of research nursing 28 March 2022 |
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| | | Register your interest 18 October 2022 |
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