Our CTUs deliver research that impacts the care and outcomes for cancer patients in the UK and across the world. They design, coordinate and analyse clinical trials and other well-designed studies. These multidisciplinary units have a specific remit to design, conduct, report and publish clinical trials in compliance with UK regulations.
Our CTUs report to relevant agencies, such as the Health Research Authority and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
We welcome academics and clinicians with cancer trial ideas who would like to work with our CTUs. If this is of interest to you, contact a CTU or research group from the list below.
Specialist trial themes:
screening and prevention
diagnostic and screening devices
multi-cancer early detection tests
Cytosponge-TFF3 test in targeted oesophageal screening
behavioural interventions to improve cancer prevention and screening
Explore the Cancer Prevention Trials Units
Specialist trial themes:
breast, head and neck, melanoma, ovarian, sarcoma and urological cancers
exploratory phase 2–3
radiotherapy
treatment response
underlying cancer biology
Explore the Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit
Specialist trial themes:
gastrointestinal, gynaecological, head and neck, brain, lung, sarcoma, bone, liver and prostate cancers
leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma blood cancers
radiotherapy
paediatric
surgery
advanced therapy
screening and early detection
genomic studies
chemotherapy
targeted therapies
immunotherapies
Explore the Cancer Trials Centre
Specialist trial themes:
paediatric and adult phase 1–3
first-in-human
breast, central nervous system, colorectal, lung, haematological and urological cancers
chemotherapy
gene therapy
immunotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and allogenic stem cell transplantation
investigational medicinal products
advanced therapy investigational medicinal products
biomarker studies
personalised medicine
Complex innovative trial designs
Bayesian methods
Specialist trial themes:
phase 1–3 clinical trials
chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma blood cancers
colorectal cancers
radiotherapy
surgical
novel anti-cancer therapeutics
immunotherapy
personalised medicine
biomarker-guided studies
platform trials
Specialist trial themes:
phase 1–3 clinical trials
pan-cancer
immunotherapy
early diagnosis
biomarker-guided studies
platform, complex and adaptive trial designs
translational and bioinformatics
Specialist trial themes:
precision prevention
early detection
early phase I/II
Explore the Oncology Clinical Trials Office
Our network is guided by the strategic priorities set out in our clinical research statement of intent. All CTUs share scientific and operational objectives that align with this statement, and we support them to deliver these objectives.
Read more about the network's key focus areas
A chief investigator can work in collaboration with a clinical trial unit at every stage of a trial, from developing the idea and building a team, to trial delivery, completion and post-trial activities.
Our guidance for potential chief investigators (CIs) provides more information about our CTU's, what to expect from the CI role, and the benefits of partnering with CTUs for a successful trial. (PDF, 869 KB)
We support a diverse pipeline of clinical and translational research that addresses key clinical questions while deepening our understanding of cancer biology and its treatment.
Our clinical research funding team are here if you have any questions about working with CTUs.
We host scientific conferences, workshops, webinars and other events. Join us to hear about the latest science, present your research and network with our exceptional community.
Subscribe to our newsletters to hear about the latest news, funding opportunities, events and conferences and other research stories.
Explore our latest articles and podcasts for researchers, exploring issues in cancer science and how that science shapes our understanding of the disease.
