Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has announced funding of £58.7m for universities across England and Scotland to train the next generation of clinician scientists to undertake cancer research.
The funding builds on the five-year £50.7m investment awarded by CRUK in 2019 as part of its Clinical Academic Training Programme Award.
According to a survey conducted by CRUK in 2023, 74% of clinical research staff said that it has become harder to deliver research in a timely manner in the last 18 months and 78% described wider pressures on the health service as a substantial or extreme barrier.
Continuing on across nine research centres over a further five years, the new funding aims to overcome this challenge, by helping to provide flexible training options, mentorship and networking opportunities to support clinicians who want to be involved in cancer research across several research institutes.
In addition, the funding will enable universities to offer combined Bachelor of Medicine-Doctor of Philosophy qualifications to early-career clinicians, allowing medical students to complete a PhD earlier in their medical training.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at CRUK, commented: “Clinician scientists have a very important role to play by bringing their knowledge and experience of treating people with cancer to scientific research.
“After the success of the first five years of this programme, we want to encourage even more clinicians to get involved in cancer research to help us get closer to a world where everybody lives longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer.”
Professor Robert Bristow, director, CRUK Manchester Centre, one of the eight centres in England to receive further funding, said: “The increased flexibility offered and additional funding… will allow more time for doctors to do research” and “will deliver a highly enthusiastic, educated and diverse workforce in the UK who will help bring new cancer treatments and diagnostic tests to those who need it most”.
Most recently, CRUK, along with the CRIS Cancer Foundation, funded scientists from University College London, the University of Oxford and the Francis Crick Institute £1.7m to develop a vaccine to prevent lung cancer.