Scientists to receive seed funding for most pressing cancer challenges
Nine UCL scientists have been shortlisted to work on some of the world's toughest cancer problems, as part of the £80 million Cancer Grand Challenges. In October 2020, Cancer Grand Challenges, founded by Cancer Research UK and the US National Cancer Institute, dared the global research community to take on nine of cancer's most pressing issues. The eight research themes taken forward were: Cachexia (a disorder that causes extreme weight loss and muscle wasting, and can include loss of body fat), e-cigarettes, extrachromosomal DNA, inflammation, macromolecules, normal phenotypes, senescence (the condition or process of deterioration with age), solid tumours in children. Almost 170 teams across 61 countries submitted bold, innovative ideas, and Cancer Grand Challenges has now announced the 11 teams selected to compete for a share of £80m. Each team will now receive seed funding to get their ideas off the ground and make their full proposal. Winners will receive £20m and the freedom to unite above boundaries to unleash their scientific creativity. UCL scientists shortlisted Dr Martin Pule (UCL Cancer Institute), Team Lead for NGTC: Next Generation T cell therapies for childhood cancers. The application involves an international team of researchers co-led by Dr Catherine Bollard, (George Washington University Children's National Hospital) and including from UCL, Professor Sergio Quezada (UCL Cancer Institute), Professor Karen Page (UCL Mathematics), Marc-Olivier Coppens (UCL Chemical Engineering) and Dr Karin Straathof (UCL Great Ormond Institute for Child Health).
