Research Divisions
Research at the ICR is structured into eight scientific Divisions. The Divisional Structure aims to support the ICR Scientific Strategy 2010 – 2015 through delivery of effective scientific management and improved scientific interaction.
Full details of their research programmes can be found on the individual home pages.
Breast Cancer Research
The priorities in the Division of Breast Cancer Research are the identification and characterisation of breast cancer susceptibility genes, the aetiology of breast cancer (predominantly via the Breakthrough Generations Study), improving the diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of response to treatment for breast cancer patients, and the identification of novel therapeutic targets.
Cancer Biology
The Division of Cancer Biology encompasses a breadth of research, from studies of cell signalling pathways to investigations of developmental biology. This breadth reflects the Division’s underlying approach of studying basic molecular and cell biology to underpin the identification of new strategies for cancer therapeutics.
Cancer Therapeutics
The Division’s major interest is the discovery and development of novel and effective therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Our vision is to exploit the addictions, dependencies and vulnerabilities of cancer cells in order to discover innovative small molecule drugs, and essential biomarkers, that will constitute the personalised cancer medicine of the future. We have a strong internal drug discovery programme and also work closely with pharmaceutical partners.
Clinical Studies
The Division of Clinical Studies aims to provide an optimal framework for the conduct of early and late phase clinical trials, in particular facilitating the development of trial protocols for targeted agents that run across multiple tumour types while sharing a particular genetic/molecular abnormality.
Genetics and Epidemiology
The Division of Genetics and Epidemiology aims to understand the causes of cancer through the identification of predisposition genes, biomarkers, behaviours and exposures that influence cancer occurrence. Our multi-disciplinary approach is coordinated towards a commitment to translate discoveries into clinical practice through the Clinical Cancer Genetics Service at The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust.
Molecular Pathology
Research in the Division of Molecular Pathology aims to:
- Establish novel and robust molecular diagnostics based on tumour and patient profiling that will enable the personalisation of cancer treatments.
- Develop predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarkers to drive the clinical development of novel anti-cancer drugs.
- Identify new molecular targets in a range of tumour types using state-of-the-art molecular profiling technologies.
Divisional teams are investigating a range of tumour types, including breast, prostate, paediatric, sarcoma and haemato-oncological tumours.
Radiotherapy and Imaging
Major research areas within the Division include developing multimodality imaging biomarkers for early response assessment - particularly for evaluating novel therapeutics; conformal and stereotactic radiotherapy; intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiotherapy. Radiopharmaceutical development and biologically targeted radionuclide therapy is also a focus of the Division, as is high-focused ultrasound therapy, ultrasound and x-ray imaging, detector development and diagnostic imaging. All our research aims to optimise techniques and evaluate the benefit of these approaches in the NHS.
Structural Biology
The work of the Division of Structural Biology is focused on structural and biochemical studies of proteins and complexes of importance in the aetiology and treatment of cancer, in particular cell cycle control and signal transduction processes, DNA damage recognition, signalling and repair and proteasome structure. We also support the ICR's drug discovery projects using high-throughput and fragment screening approaches on a variety of cancer targets involved in reversible protein phosphorylation, stress response, chromatin modification and targets involving specific protein-protein interactions.
