Our research partnerships
Our research partnerships enable mutually beneficial research collaborations with like-minded organisations from around the world, accelerating progress in the fight against cancer.
We work with organisations from across the academic, not-for-profit, government and private sectors, and welcome any collaborations that help to support our research strategy. Our flexible approach allows us to engage in a wide range of partnership initiatives with a variety of models, from large-scale co-funding of research projects and infrastructure to joint workshops and conferences.
£421m
ON NEW & ONGOING RESEARCH IN 2020/21
BROAD PORTFOLIO
FUNDING RESEARCH INTO ALL TYPES OF CANCER
OVER 150
RESEARCH PARTNERS WORLDWIDE
Our research partnerships
We're currently engaged in initiatives with more than 150 partners worldwide. This snapshot gives some examples of how we're working together with other organisations to accelerate research.
Accelerator Award
We partner with the leading cancer research charities in Spain and Italy to help build international research networks through our Accelerator Award scheme.
Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED)
We lead the International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED), a new partnership between Cancer Research UK, the Canary Center at Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU, University College London and the University of Manchester, to tackle the biggest challenges in early detection.
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) alliance
Our trans-Atlantic alliance with the American Association for Cancer Research is accelerating the pace of progress against cancer by facilitating collaborations between scientists in the US and UK.
Brain Tumour Awards
We’ve partnered with the Brain Tumour Charity to advance our understanding of brain tumours and how to overcome the challenges faced in translating discoveries into treatments.
Cancer Grand Challenges: PRECISION team
In partnership with the Dutch Cancer Society we are funding the PRECISION Cancer Grand Challenges team, who aim to prevent unnecessary breast cancer treatment through research into pre-cancerous cells.
Cancer Grand Challenges: SPECIFICANCER team
In partnership with the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research we are funding the SPECIFICANCER Cancer Grand Challenges team, who are investigating the molecular mechanisms that underpin the tissue specificity of cancerous tumours.
Clinical Study Data Request (CSDR) initiative
We support the CSDR initiative to improve access to clinical trials data across different research organisations, in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and sixteen pharmaceutical companies.
Cancer Research Horizons–AstraZeneca Antibody Alliance Laboratory
Our strategic partnership with AstraZeneca delivers world-class antibody engineering capabilities to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies.
CRUK–OHSU co-funded awards
We fund two grant schemes in collaboration with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute focused on our shared priority for the early detection of cancer.
![[Early detection research icon]](/sites/default/files/early_detection_300dpi_crop_05_rgb_-_2x1_940px_hero_image.jpg)
Early Detection Innovation Sandpits
In collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) we are holding a series of sandpit workshops to catalyse new research connections in the rapidly developing field of early detection.
EPSRC Multidisciplinary co-funding
We fund a multidisciplinary award scheme in partnership with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council that brings researchers together from different scientific fields to bring fresh insights in cancer research.
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) Network
This network brings new treatments to cancer patients as quickly as possible, in partnership with the UK's government health agencies.
The Francis Crick Institute
We're a founding partner of the Francis Crick Institute, a state-of-the-art research institute dedicated to fundamental biomedical science, alongside the Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, UCL, Imperial College London and Kings College London.
Fulbright–CRUK scholarships
We offer trans-Atlantic scholarship opportunities for US and UK-based scientists engaged in cancer research, in partnership with the Fulbright Commission.
Gurdon Institute
We fund the Cambridge-based Gurdon Institute in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust.
Human Cancer Models Initiative
Working in partnership with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the National Cancer Institute and Hubrecht Organoid Technology, we're supporting the development of a large, globally accessible biobank of new cancer models.
Immuno-oncology Alliance with Ono Pharma and LifeArc
Our alliance with Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and medical research charity Lifearc engages with academic researchers to accelerate the translation of discovery science to new new immunotherapies.
International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)
We're part of the ICGC, an international consortium that is mapping the genetic faults in 50 of the most important cancer types.
International Rare Cancers Initiative (IRCI)
We provide support for international clinical trials into rare cancers, in partnership with cancer research organisations in Europe, North America, Japan and Australia.
Molecular Analysis for Personalised Therapy (MAP) Conference
We organise this annual oncology conference in collaboration with the European Society for Molecular Oncology (ESMO) and Unicancer.
Ludwig Cancer Research: Cancer Prevention Conferences
In collaboration with Ludwig Cancer Research we are holding a series of conference events focusing on cancer prevention.
MRC Stratified Medicine Consortia
In partnership with the Medical Research Council we are co-funding two stratified medicine consortia – the S-CORT (bowel cancer) and Re-IMAGINE (prostate cancer) consortia.
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute – Canary Center at Stanford – CRUK Early Detection of Cancer Conference
This annual conference – a collaboration between Cancer Research UK, the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute and the Canary Center at Stanford – convenes world leaders in the field of early detection research.
Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team
We're partnering with Stand Up To Cancer and the Lustgarten Foundation to build an international collaboration that will accelerate progress in pancreatic cancer research.
UK Biobank
We're part of a consortium of UK government and charitable organisations that provides funding for UK Biobank, a large-scale research initiative investigating how genetic predisposition and environmental factors affect the development of disease.
UKCRC Public Health Research Centres of Excellence
As part of the UKCRC consortium, we work with major public health funders to develop ways to improve public health research.
UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP)
We are a member of the UKPRP consortium, which aims to support research into the primary prevention of non-communicable diseases.
Versus Arthritis
We're working with Versus Arthritis to encourage new collaborations and innovative research projects that could lead to significant progress in both disease areas.
100,000 Genomes Project
We support the 100,000 Genomes Project in its mission to sequence 100,000 genomes from cancer patients and individuals with rare diseases.