National Cancer Research Institute
Encyclopedia
The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) is a partnership between the government, charity and industry in the United Kingdom
that takes a strategic planning role in co-ordinating cancer research
. Rather than replace or duplicate any of the functions of its 21 member associations and agencies, it seeks to add value through joint planning, coordination and initiating projects for the benefit of cancer research and, ultimately, cancer patients.
held a Downing Street
Cancer Summit which led to the formation of the Cancer Research Funders Forum, bringing together the main government and charitable agencies that fund cancer research in the UK for the first time.
Ian Gibson
MP, a former cancer researcher from the University of East Anglia
, called for the creation of a UK National Cancer Institute in November 1998, modelled on the National Cancer Institute
in the USA. He used his influence as a member of the British House of Commons
Science and Technology Committee to promote the idea and, in early 2000 the committee held an enquiry into the funding of cancer research in the UK which reported in July 2000, recommending "the creation of a new National Cancer Research Institute to set national research priorities and to co-ordinate and fund cancer research in the UK."
Soon afterwards, in September 2000, the Department of Health
published their first NHS Cancer Plan which announced that the Department would work with the Cancer Research Funders Forum to create a National Cancer Research Institute which would take a more proactive role in the strategic co-ordination of cancer research.
The NCRI was formally launched on 1 April 2001.
The NCRI has also been responsible for:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that takes a strategic planning role in co-ordinating cancer research
Cancer research
Cancer research is basic research into cancer in order to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatments and cure....
. Rather than replace or duplicate any of the functions of its 21 member associations and agencies, it seeks to add value through joint planning, coordination and initiating projects for the benefit of cancer research and, ultimately, cancer patients.
History
In May 1997, the UK Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
held a Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
Cancer Summit which led to the formation of the Cancer Research Funders Forum, bringing together the main government and charitable agencies that fund cancer research in the UK for the first time.
Ian Gibson
Ian Gibson (politician)
Ian Gibson is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich North from 1997 to 2009...
MP, a former cancer researcher from the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
, called for the creation of a UK National Cancer Institute in November 1998, modelled on the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
in the USA. He used his influence as a member of the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
Science and Technology Committee to promote the idea and, in early 2000 the committee held an enquiry into the funding of cancer research in the UK which reported in July 2000, recommending "the creation of a new National Cancer Research Institute to set national research priorities and to co-ordinate and fund cancer research in the UK."
Soon afterwards, in September 2000, the Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
published their first NHS Cancer Plan which announced that the Department would work with the Cancer Research Funders Forum to create a National Cancer Research Institute which would take a more proactive role in the strategic co-ordination of cancer research.
The NCRI was formally launched on 1 April 2001.
Activities
Current activities of the NCRI include:- maintaining a database of cancer research in the UK, which forms part of the International Cancer Research Portfolio (a database of publicly-funded US and UK cancer research). The database is updated annually and analyses of the UK data are published every few years.
- organising the annual NCRI Cancer Conference, now established as the largest cancer research conference in the UK.
- developing a plan to network UK cancer registries and to encourage epidemiological research.
- setting up an initiative to revitalise UK radiotherapy research by networking and supporting individuals and groups, developing infrastructure and an integrated strategy.
- a strategic role in the development and oversight of the National Cancer Research NetworkNational Cancer Research NetworkThe National Cancer Research Network is a UK based government funding utility created to provide infrastructure to the UK's National Health Service and increase funding for clinical trials.-History:...
to provide the infrastructure necessary to improve the speed, quality and integration of clinical trials in the UK.
The NCRI has also been responsible for:
- setting up a network of experimental cancer medicine centres to ensure that discoveries in basic science are translated into potential new cancer treatments as rapidly as possible.
- publishing reports on several key areas of cancer research, including prostate cancerProstate cancerProstate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
, lung cancerLung cancerLung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
, radiotherapy, palliative carePalliative carePalliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...
and prevention, many of which have led onto the establishment of specific initiatives to fund aspects of research in these fields where a strategic gap was identified. - establishing the NCRI Informatics Initiative, to develop a national bioinformaticsBioinformaticsBioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
platform and common set of tools for data handling, analysis and storage. - establishing the National Cancer Intelligence NetworkNational Cancer Intelligence NetworkThe National Cancer Intelligence Network , part of the National Cancer Research Institute, coordinates the collection, analysis and publication of comparative national information on diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for types of cancers and types of patient, in a way which is useful to patients,...
Members
- Association of the British Pharmaceutical IndustryAssociation of the British Pharmaceutical IndustryThe Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is the trade association for 150 companies in the UK producing prescription medicines for humans...
- Association for International Cancer ResearchAssociation for International Cancer ResearchAssociation for International Cancer Research is a cancer research association based in the United Kingdom. It is the leading charity that funds cancer research anywhere in the world....
- Breakthrough Breast CancerBreakthrough Breast CancerBreakthrough Breast Cancer is a United Kingdom charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research, campaigning and education. Its vision is "to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer".-History:...
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is a UK Research Council and NDPB and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience...
- Breast Cancer CampaignBreast Cancer CampaignBreast Cancer Campaign is a breast cancer research charity based in the United Kingdom.The charity's mission is to "beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment and cure." According to its website,...
- Cancer Research UKCancer Research UKCancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
- Chief Scientist OfficeChief Scientist OfficeThe Chief Scientist Office is part of the Health and Wellbeing Directorate of the Scottish Government.-External links:CSO Website...
(Scotland) - Children With LeukaemiaChildren With LeukaemiaChildren With Leukaemia is a British charitable organisation, inaugurated by Diana, Princess of Wales on 12 January 1988, that provides funding for research into the prevention and cure of childhood leukaemia including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and Acute myeloid leukaemia . It also supports...
(United Kingdom) - Department of HealthDepartment of Health (United Kingdom)The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
- Economic and Social Research CouncilEconomic and Social Research CouncilThe Economic and Social Research Council is one of the seven Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It receives most of its funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and provides funding and support for research and training work in social and economic issues, such as...
- Leukaemia Research Fund
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer ResearchLudwig Institute for Cancer ResearchThe Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd is a global non-profit medical research institute that undertakes laboratory and clinical research into cancer, conducting and sponsoring its own early-phase clinical trials to investigate its discoveries....
- Macmillan Cancer SupportMacmillan Cancer SupportMacmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer....
- Marie Curie Cancer CareMarie Curie Cancer CareMarie Curie Cancer Care is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides nursing care, free of charge, to terminally ill people, giving them the chance to choose to be cared for at home...
- Medical Research CouncilMedical Research Council (UK)The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
- Research and Development Office (Northern Ireland)
- Roy Castle Lung Cancer FoundationRoy Castle Lung Cancer FoundationThe Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is a British medical research charity dedicated to the prevention and cure of lung cancer. It is the only charity in the UK wholly dedicated to the defeat of lung cancer....
- TenovusTenovusTenovus is a British cancer charity committed to the control of cancer through: quality research, prevention/education, counselling and patient care.-History:...
- Wales Office of Research and Development
- Wellcome TrustWellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
- Yorkshire Cancer ResearchYorkshire Cancer ResearchYorkshire Cancer Research is a registered charity that funds research, principally in Yorkshire, into the causes and cures of cancer. They do this by fundraising in Yorkshire and providing awards to Yorkshire based academic institutions...
Sources
- Waxman and Gibson - Britain needs a national cancer institute, British Medical Journal 1998 317: 1397
- Department of Health website: Research Priority Areas - Cancer (http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/ResearchAndDevelopment/ResearchPriorityAreas/ResearchPriorityAreasArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4032197&chk=pfB%2Bi6) accessed 27 Oct 2006.
- NCRI web site (http://www.ncri.org.uk) accessed 27 Oct 2006