World-class research

We will unravel cancer’s ecosystem, overcome its evolution and drug resistance, and advance diagnosis and treatment – through world-class fundamental, translational and clinical research.

The ICR and The Royal Marsden have worked together on a joint strategy for world-class cancer research – motivated by the ambition of offering a long and healthy life for everyone affected by cancer.

Cancer research as an ecosystem

We will learn from the latest scientific understanding of cancer, which sees cancer cells evolving within a complex interconnected ecosystem. Our scientists and clinicians will draw on fundamental discoveries about cancer right across the ICR and beyond, find ways to diagnose and target cancer more effectively, and improve treatment through innovative clinical trials. We will work through our wide network of research partners to improve the outlook for patients with cancer here in the UK and across the world.

Our world-class research will run from bench to bedside and back again – taking research findings to patients, and learning from the experience in the clinic. We aim to understand cancer better, and improve diagnosis and treatment for patients, by working across four research themes:

Unravel the cancer ecosystem

Diagnose better and earlier

Target weaknesses in cancer

Treat cancer more precisely