Our mission to make the discoveries that defeat cancer is more vital now than ever. For all the dramatic progress against the disease in recent decades, cancer now affects one in two people in the UK. Our 800-strong body of scientists and clinicians are working on a broad spectrum of research to offer more and better treatments to cancer patients - from understanding the biological causes of cancer through to designing and testing the latest cutting-edge therapies.
As well as being a world-class research institute, we are a college of the University of London and a charity. Together with our hospital partner, The Royal Marsden, we are considered to be in the top four cancer centres globally.
- The ICR's track record of world-leading discovery stretches back to our foundation in 1909
- Since 2005, we have discovered 21 cancer drug candidates, more than any other academic centre in the world
- The ICR provides scientists and clinicians with world-class postgraduate education in cancer research and treatment
How Syncona is helping us to defeat cancer
ICR scientists have led the discovery and development of many targeted treatments that are helping more cancer patients live longer and with fewer side-effects. We now know that some cancers adapt to their environments within our bodies to side-step those drugs designed to halt their progress.
Since 2012, Syncona has been generously supporting cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art laboratories at the ICR – most importantly, our £75m Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery. This centre hosts the world’s first ‘Darwinian’ drug discovery programme, designed to tackle cancer’s lethal ability to evolve resistance to treatment. Here, we aim to develop a new generation of drugs that will make the difference to the lives of millions of people with cancer.
The centre will pave the way for a new era of drug discovery, to help us stay one step ahead of the disease – so that cancer patients can live a good life with cancer, or even be cured. Within the building, the “Syncona Biology Unit” is an important laboratory space where our biologists will identify targets within cancer cells against which drugs are most likely to be successful.
Syncona’s investment enabled us to progress our plans for the building much faster than would otherwise have been possible, meaning that patients will benefit much more quickly.
Rob’s story
By the time Rob Lester was diagnosed with prostate cancer aged 55, it had spread to his bones. He hoped that he might survive for five years.
Thanks to abiraterone – a drug that the ICR discovered and developed – Rob’s been living well with cancer for over seven years. The treatment has given him a new lease of life and he’s now able to do things he didn’t do before, including joining a walking group.
Hear his story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=BLP0ZaU59rE&feature=emb_logo
“My treatment has given me a new lease of life, and now every day is precious. That’s why we need to support the ICR’s life-changing research, to help more people live a good life with cancer”. – Rob Lester