"This exciting new initiative will bolster our efforts to bring together a variety of researchers and clinicians to collaborate and work together to improve the lives of cancer patients across Northern Ireland. By building closer links between scientists and doctors we want to increase the pace of research, leading to improved treatments for patients."
Professor Dennis McCance, director
Queen's University Belfast Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology
With the launch of the Cancer Research UK Belfast Cancer Centre, the city joins the charity's unique chain of cancer centres of excellence across the UK.
As one of the first centres, the Belfast Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre will help set the pace for national and international progress in cancers of the bowel, oesophagus and breast. It will also concentrate on pioneering the latest techniques in radiotherapy, improving cancer diagnosis and developing new, more effective drugs.
The Centre aims to be a world leader in developing treatments tailored to individual cancer patients based on understanding the biology of the disease and how that varies among patients.
Collaborations - a cornerstone of this virtual Centre - will focus on identifying new targets for cancer drugs, understanding how genes can help predict which treatment will be most effective, and developing new treatments with fewer side effects.
The Centre is a partnership between Queen's University Belfast, the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Central Services Agency's Research and Development Office, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Cancer Research UK.
Cancer Research UK already supports research in the region but with the launch of the Centre, this contribution is set to increase to £2.5 million a year. The Centres initiative is an important plank in Cancer Research UK's 5-year research strategy.
Related information on the Belfast Cancer Research UK Centre
