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Biomedical Research Centre

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research is the only BRC focused solely on cancer. Its aim is to drive pioneering, translational and clinical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, with the aim of taking those research findings and using them to benefit patients as quickly as possible.

Close up of The Royal Marsden, Chelsea, 2015

Established in 2007, the NIHR BRC funds and supports innovative translational research, meaning that it takes leading-edge cancer research from the laboratory and rapidly translates it into clinical trials in a hospital setting. Clinical research also feeds back into the laboratory and allows new discoveries to be made, leading to the development of new treatments and therapies for patients.

In order to provide a seamless and efficient translation of biomedical research into patient benefit, the BRC focuses on six research themes and two cross-cutting themes:

  • Breast Cancer
  • Gastrointestinal cancers
  • Prostate cancer
  • Uncommon cancers
  • Novel cancer therapeutics
  • Targeted physical therapies
  • Digital – Capability, Informatics, Big Data, e-Health
  • The Genotypes, Phenotypes and Cancer Evolution

Involving patients and the public with our research ensures that we focus on the issues that matter most to those affected by cancer. The BRC supports researchers to involve patients and members of the public in all areas of research. There are several ways patients and the public  can get involved or be engaged with our research, including our new online platform Cancer Patients’ Voice.

To find out more about the BRC’s commitment to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement and the Cancer Patients’ Voice platform, visit the BRC website.