Our life-saving research (continued)

Some of our objectives for 2011/12

Continue to create environmentswhere

world-leading researchers can collaborate tomake faster advances in cancer research by: Continuing to work to make the vision for the UKCMRI, to be known as The Francis Crick Institute, a reality. Working with our partners, we will begin construction of the new building and define the strategy for transferring scientists to the new institute.

Launching a capital appeal that will help us raise our £160 million commitment to create The Francis Crick Institute.

Establishing a fundraising appeal for a new research building in Manchester that will provide better opportunities and facilities for researchers and clinicians to work collaboratively.

Continue to develop the next generation ofworld-class

cancer researchers. We must make sure the right people and skills are in place to achieve our vision of beating cancer. In addition to funding training through our network of Centres and Institutes, we will fund a new research training scheme in surgery. This will equip surgeons with the necessary skills and experience to apply for a Clinician Scientist Fellowship, thus increasing the number of academic surgical cancer specialists.

Drive forward research into cancer genomics, as part of

our strategy to deliver better, tailored treatments to patients. Rapid advances in genomics – the study of our genes and the role they play in our health and the way diseases develop – will enable us to move towards more personalised treatments for people with cancer.

We will invest in a range of pioneering genomics research that will pinpoint the important genetic mistakes that play a key role in specific types of cancer.

Fully launch two International Cancer Genome Consortium projects in oesophageal and prostate cancer, which will unveil a wealth of information that could lead to new and improved treatments.

Work with specialist areas of the NHS, government and industry as part of the first phase of our Stratified Medicine Programme to demonstrate a model of cost-effective and routine genetic testing for cancer patients. To achieve this we will begin to establish a network of laboratories that will gather genetic data from individual patients’ tumours, which will guide treatment and will ultimately be used for research into personalised treatments for cancer in the UK.

Fundmore research into pancreatic cancer and other

cancers that are hard to treat successfully, aiming to improve survival rates. Survival rates for pancreatic cancer remain low – just 3% of patients survive beyond five years after they are diagnosed.

We will use the expertise and strengths of our Centres network to drive forward progress to help us understand and treat pancreatic cancer.

We will consult with key experts in lung cancer to discuss how to accelerate progress in this disease.

Enhance our clinical and translational research so that

discoveries are translated into new diagnostic tests and treatments for patients as quickly as possible. We will launch a new scheme to provide five-year programme grants for clinical and translational researchers to drive forward scientific discoveries with clearly identifiable patient benefits, including increasing research into important approaches to treatment – such as surgery and radiotherapy.

Continue to ensure that advances in radiotherapy

benefit patients and that theUK remains aworld leader in this field. Four in ten people who beat cancer have received radiotherapy, but we believe many more could benefit from this life-saving treatment.

We will increase our investment in the

latest radiotherapy techniques by funding more clinical trials and by recruiting two further research groups in medical physics and medicinal chemistry at the Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology.

By expanding student training in radiation sciences we will ensure that the right skills are available to deliver radiotherapy in the future.

For more information on our research aboutus.cancerresearchuk.org/research

Annual Report and Accounts / Our life-saving research / 07