Research opportunities in cancers of unmet need

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Funding opportunities

We have a range of grants available for you or your research group, whether you're looking for long-term programme funding for your lab or grants for specific projects or clinical studies. 
 

Explore all funding opportunities

We’re building a broad portfolio of research in notoriously hard-to-treat cancers, and we can support you as you move into this field.

We believe improving outcomes in cancers with the poorest survival is critical to achieving our ambition to see 3 in 4 people survive their cancer for 10 years or more by 2034.

In the UK, overall survival for people with cancer has doubled in the past 40 years, however, there are some forms of cancer where survival has improved very little and there are limited routes to new therapies.

In 2014, we identified brain tumours, and lung, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer as 'cancers of unmet need'. Since then we have doubled our funding in these cancers, through investigator-led projects, partnership initiatives, and making long-term investments in research facilities and resources. In our 2022 research strategy, we committed to maintaining focus in these four cancers, as well as liver and stomach cancers, which also have some of the poorest five-year survival figures.
 

Find out more about our research strategy 

Our approach

We recognise that the cancers of unmet need research community has faced a variety of barriers, including a lack of research tools and a strong infrastructure. Our pillars aim to change this by driving investment in four key areas to provide the community with the support it needs. We will:

  • Support research that will benefit patients

  • Develop research capacity in the UK

  • Connect people and partners

  • Engage scientists, supporters and staff

Advice for applicants

Our funding committees support research across all cancer types but will prioritise proposals for work on cancers of unmet need as long as they have a sound biological rationale and are of a sufficiently high quality.

Regardless of your career level, if you’re thinking about moving into the field, if you have an idea you’d like to discuss, or if you simply want to know more, please get in touch. We can help you find suitable funding and guide you through the grant application process.

Develop your career with us

We have a variety of fellowships, grants, training and other support to help you establish yourself and your research group in this field. We recognise the particular importance of clinician scientists in delivering clinical impact and we have a number of opportunities to help clinical academics develop their careers in cancer research.

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