Title: Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre
Funder: Cancer Research UK

Abstract: The Cambridge Cancer Centre brings together researchers from different disciplines and institutes across Cambridge, focusing their research within 4 broad themes. These themes are preventing high-risk groups from developing cancer, detecting cancer as early as possible, providing personalised treatment for patients, and discovering why some cancers are resistant to treatment. The Centre's research is focused on 4 broad themes: Drug discovery and experimental therapeutics: The cross-disciplinary environment within the Cambridge Cancer Centre, along with the strengths of the basic and translational science, encourage innovative approaches to developing experimental medicines. Many researchers across the Centre are looking for novel targets and leads for drugs. When potential new therapies are discovered they are rigorously tested in the lab, using both biochemical and in vivo models of cancer. If the results are promising, they may be tested on small numbers of patients in early phase clinical trials. Clinical research: Clinical research in Cambridge is a critical component to bring research from the bench to the bedside. This research informs clinical practice through early and late phase studies in order to determine the optimum approaches for improving disease outcomes. Cambridge is well placed to carry out clinical research, with a number of groups collaborating to both support and participate in the funding, design, and delivery of these studies. Early detection and intervention: Early diagnosis and intervention is a key priority and addressing this requires a unique combination of genetic epidemiology, and expertise in genomics, epithelial biology, imaging, mouse models, and computational and systems biology. Understanding the basic biological events that precede invasive disease also requires a combination of approaches and disciplines. In order to take this research into clinical application relies on close collaborations with patients, volunteer resources, and a network of primary care physicians. Personalised cancer medicine: Personalised cancer medicine uses the detailed characterisation of each individual and their cancer to tailor oncology management. Clinical application of genomics, molecular pathology, and novel imaging allows clinicians to improve cancer management for every patient. The use of longitudinal studies in patients allows researchers and clinicians to study the progression of disease and to determine the best individualised treatment approach based on the individual's response. The Centre has developed a number of specialist multi-disciplinary teams of academic and clinical staff focused on improving the outcomes for specific cancer types. These teams work closely together to produce exemplary basic science, translate new discoveries into clinical practice, and conduct extensive and rigorous clinical trials. In addition to these teams, many scientists and consultants within the Centre are also conducting leading clinical research on many other cancer types including head and neck cancer, gynaecological cancer, sarcoma, skin cancer and melanoma, and urological cancer. http://www.cambridgecancercentre.org.uk/


Research activity codes: 6.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT EVALUATION);5.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT DEVELOPMENT);4.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (DETECTION)
Health categories: CANCER AND NEOPLASMS