Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has announced that from April 2014 the University will no longer have a CRUK accredited Centre, but support for individual cancer research projects will continue.
Professor Ian Greer, University Provost and EPVC for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, said: “Although we have been unsuccessful in the CRUK funding round on this occasion, the University has recently invested more than £6M in new cancer research posts as well as new laboratories.
“We are also working with North West Cancer Research to bring further investment to Liverpool to address the heavy burden of cancer in our region.”
New discoveries
Investment in cancer research at Liverpool is focused on supporting new discoveries and applications that will improve cancer care and patient outcomes in the future.
For example In the past two years the University has established critical mass in medical oncology with 4 senior academic appointments and a Professor of Radiotherapy.
Professor Greer added: “We have invested in six new scientific research groups focusing on cancer. Researchers in this area will work with our world-class facilities at the Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science and the Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine, as well as the Centre for Genomic Research, and high-quality Biobanks.
“In the past year we have appointed two professors of cancer pharmacology to bring novel treatments to our patients. This substantial investment will lead to cancer research success in the future.”
Research at Liverpool’s Cancer Centre will continue, supported through NHS partnerships and work at the Liverpool Cancer Trials Unit; Clinical Trials Research Centre; NIHR Pancreatic Biomedical Research Unit and the Centre for Drug Safety Science.
A spokesperson for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital said: “We are disappointed that Liverpool is not one of the centres awarded this funding.
“However, we have a wealth of experience and knowledge across the city when it comes to cancer research. Plans continue to develop for the Liverpool BioCampus which will bring the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital, a new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the University of Liverpool together, giving patients access to expert clinical services, first class care and enhanced research and development on one site.
“This development will ensure that the region remains at the leading edge of cancer research and treatment.”