Title: Imperial ECMC
Funder: Cancer Research UK

Abstract: In the previous quinquennium we incorporated Imperial College strengths in technology development into early clinical trials, particularly in imaging and phenotyping biomarkers, thereby increasing biological endpoints in clinical trials and improving clinical decision making on drug and device development. The results have enhanced our national and international leadership in functional imaging approaches and molecular phenotyping in early clinical trials. We will now accelerate this activity, utilising existing and new links within the CRUK Imperial Centre, wider ECMC and NIHR network. We will continue to develop/apply imaging and molecular phenotyping technologies, as well as create novel surgical trials and sensors/devices for patient monitoring into evidence based studies that improve patient outcomes. As well as continuing our current focus on ovarian, breast, prostate and lung cancer, we will capitalise on laboratory-based research strengths at Imperial to expand ECMC support in haematology/pancreatic cancer. Imperial ECMC will have a leadership role in evaluation of technologies for patient outcomes in early clinical trials, novel imaging approaches and innovative real-time surgical diagnosis, in an appropriate quality assured and evidence based manner. To improve access to technology, harmonisation of analysis across centres and enhance clinical practice throughout the ECMC network, we will establish strategic collaborations, training workshops, short courses and placements to share our expertise in imaging, surgical technology, sensors/ devices and phenotypic analyses of clinical samples. Imperial ECMC will support clinical and non-clinical, career development investigators in translational cancer research training through existing in-house courses (bioinformatics, statistics, cancer biology, biobanking, surgery), as well as national opportunities through the ECMC Junior Investigator Network Group and NCRI. We will exploit our expertise in genomic, epigenomic and metabonomic characterisation of drug resistant cancers into trials of novel therapies/combinations, with companion biomarkers. We will bring Imperial specific expertise to complement drug development and first-in-man trials at other ECMC centres, including immunotherapy, metabolic targets and chemoprevention trials. Our own first-in-man studies will mainly focus on novel imaging agents, although we will continue to explore combination studies that overcome drug resistance. Patient and public involvement (PPI)/engagement will be essential for these activities, which we will further improve through our unique innovative Simulation Sciences approach. Our vision is to use the unique technological strengths of the CRUK Imperial Centre generating a more systems biology approach to functional imaging and biomarker endpoints in early clinical trials. This will be achieved through enhanced infrastructural support to overcome the barriers preventing innovation into early clinical trials.


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