Our Research
The Institute of Cancer Sciences will work with its partners to collaborate its resources, knowledge and experience to become an internationally esteemed centre for research and education in cancer sciences. The expertise of the Institute will be passed on to improve the health and wellbeing for people locally, nationally and internationally.
The Institute of Cancer Sciences is comprised of six Centres:
- Centre for Haematological Oncology
- Centre for Paediatric, Teenage and Young Adult Cancer
- Centre for Personalised Therapy
- Centre for Radiotherapy Related Research
- Centre for Women's Cancer
- Manchester Centre for Cellular Metabolism
The Institute of Cancer Sciences was formed in August 2012 and is the successor to the Cancer Studies research group within the former School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences.
REF2014
For the Research Excellence Framework in 2014 (REF2014), staff from the Institute of Cancer Sciences were returned in Unit of Assessment (UoA) 1, Clinical Medicine. The overall quality profile for UoA 1 at the University of Manchester was:
- 36% of the overall submission was rated at 4*
- 49% of the submission was rated 3*
- 14% of the submission was rated 2*
- 0% of the submission was rated 1*
- 1% of the submission was rated as unclassified.
The University of Manchester ranked 12th out of 31 institutions who submitted to UoA1 in REF2014. Further details of the REF results for the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences can be accessed on the Faculty Research Office website (log in required).
Research aims
The Institute of Cancer Sciences is principally concerned with translational and clinical research into the cancers. This involves a great deal of collaborative research with colleagues across the University (and elsewhere) including those in the Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute (formerly known as the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research), Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) and partners such as the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Central Manchester University Hospital's NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. Our Partnership with the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute guarantees a full spectrum of oncology research from bench to bedside. Our relationship with Christie Hospital affords huge opportunities in new areas like proton beam therapy.
We have an active portfolio including biomarkers studies, immunotherapy, phase I/II clinical trials, phase III trials, radiotherapy, late effects and disease prevention.
Our ethos is one of team science, building multidisciplinary approaches to make progress in understanding and treating cancer.
Research expertise
The Institute of Cancer Sciences has many esteemed researchers and specialists on its staff.
Particulars areas of research expertise include:
- Breast biology
- Clinical and experimental pharmacology
- Gene and immunotherapy
- Genito-urinary cancer
- Glycol-oncology and angiogenesis
- Gynaecological oncology
- Leukaemia and lymphoma
- Lung cancer
- Paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancer
- Targeted therapy and radiation oncology
In addition to key future appointments, further infrastructure support projects include the new £38 million research building, the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, which will capitalise on the health and wealth benefits to the UK of targeted cancer treatments via a personalised medicine drive at the University of Manchester.
