RadNet – our radiation research network
As RadNet develops, there will be opportunities for researchers, research organisations and industry.
CRUK RadNet is a network of centres of excellence and state-of-the-art facilities working with the research community to tackle the major challenges in radiobiology and radiation oncology.
We’re investing up to £56 million over 5 years to establish a critical mass of activity in 7 locations. The network will support further growth of the radiation research community through national and international multidisciplinary collaboration, and by developing the future leaders of the field.
This investment brings together researchers across discovery, translational and clinical research. The vision is to establish an effective pipeline to translate novel scientific discoveries into patient benefit in the next 10–15 years.
Opportunities to get involved
Whether you’re a cancer biologist, health professional, engineer or physical scientist, RadNet is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to apply your expertise and knowledge, even if you’ve not worked in the field of radiation research before.
New opportunities for researchers collaborating with RadNet centres include:
- Access to expertise, facilities, platforms and technologies
- Seed funding for new cross-site translational research projects
- Protected research time for clinicians and allied health professionals
- PhD studentships, postdoctoral research posts and clinical fellowships with the centres
Opportunities through established funding routes include:
- Funding through our existing discovery research and clinical research schemes
- Group leader positions funded through our career development funding schemes or within the RadNet centres
The scientific opportunity
Our research strategy identified the key role of radiotherapy in achieving our ambition of 3 in 4 patients surviving their cancer by 2034. To drive this ambition we are capitalising on technological advances and infrastructure investments to create opportunities to tackle the key scientific challenges, including
- Biological response of tumour and non-malignant cells to ionising radiation
- Signatures of cellular damage induced by alternative particle and photon radiation sources
- Inherent radio-resistance or sensitivity of different tumour types/subtypes
- Evolution of radio-resistance to radiotherapy and tolerance to DNA damage
- Radiation response at the tissue level and the influence of the of stroma
- Contribution of immune system to radiotherapy response
- Novel preclinical models to study radiotherapy response, resistance and toxicity
- Novel opportunities to exploit synthetic lethality through therapeutic combinations
- Predictive biomarkers to enable stratification and personalisation of radio- or combination therapy
- Surrogate markers of late toxicity from radiotherapy, and potential mitigation strategies
- Imaging approaches and intra-therapy biomarkers to enable adaptive treatment planning
- Innovative clinical trial design with sufficient power for biomarker endpoints
- Surrogate markers of late toxicity from radiotherapy, and potential mitigation strategies
- Hypothesis driven combination trials of novel therapeutics with radiotherapy modalities
We’re assembling working groups to bring together national expertise around these scientific themes, challenges and strategic priority areas.
Our network
Each location has its own research priorities that build on local strengths. These represent an ideal opportunity to partner with them in shared areas of interest.
CRUK RadNet Cambridge
- DNA damage response and resistance
- Defining drug-radiation combinations
- Developing clinically relevant models
- Translation-rich neo-adjuvant trials
- Radiogenomics and radiomics
CRUK RadNet City of London
- Radiation resistance
- Radiation combinations
- Targeting and technology
- Cross-cutting: Outcomes and risks
- Cross-cutting: Clinical translation
CRUK RadNet Glasgow
- Tumour biology and radiation response
- Development of preclinical models
- Preclinical and clinical imaging
- Clinical radiotherapy research
CRUK RadNet ICR and RMH
- Molecular responses to DNA damage
- Radiation-induced immune responses
- Translational and clinical research
CRUK RadNet Leeds
- Personalised and adaptive radiotherapy
- Re-irradiation
- Combining radiotherapy with novel therapies
CRUK RadNet Manchester
- Immunological effect of radiotherapy
- Treating complex comorbid patients
- Tumour microenvironment and genetic instability
- Cross cutting: Proton vs photon
- Cross cutting: FLASH radiotherapy
- Cross cutting: Biomarkers
CRUK RadNet Oxford
- Radiotherapy and the immune response
- Imaging and oxygen consumption
- Ultra-fast delivery of irradiation
- AI and machine learning