Almost all of the research in the Cancer Studies UoA is officially classified as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour, having most of its evidence assessed as being in the highest categories of 4* and 3* for quality in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
| Quality Level | 4* | 3* | 2* | 1* | Unclassified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of research activity | 15 | 75 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
The focus for cancer research at Newcastle University is the Northern Institute for Cancer Research (NICR). The NICR was formed in 2001 and has grown dramatically over the past 6 years. Annual spending on cancer research has increased from £4.0m in 2001/2 to £8.5m in 2006/7, with total spending of £40m during the assessment period.
The NICR is a multidisciplinary research institute and translational research is a particular strength in Newcastle, with 14 of the 35 Category A and B staff being clinically qualified. With the Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, the NICR is one of only two academic cancer research centres in Europe with a comprehensive small molecule drug discovery and clinical trials – targets to treatments – capacity, thereby addressing one of the two translational research gaps identified in the Cooksey Report.
Research is undertaken by three disease-specific groups:
with the Drug Discovery, Functional Imaging, and Clinical Trials and Translational Research Groups interacting with the disease specific groupings.
In addition to advances in research, infrastructure has also improved dramatically over the past 6 years and further major developments are well advanced – reflecting the commitment of Newcastle University and the NHS Trust to cancer research. In 2004, the laboratory bioscience groups of the NICR moved into the new £10m 3,300sq.m Paul O’Gorman Building, a project that has won multiple awards. The provision of new bioscience facilities complemented the refurbishment of the NICR Medicinal Chemistry Laboratories in the School of Natural Sciences. Clinical research for adult oncology will move to a new £80m, 20,000 sq.m dedicated Regional Cancer Centre on the Freeman Hospital site in July 2008, and paediatric oncology will form part of a new children’s hospital based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary - to be opened in 2009. In addition, there are dedicated clinical MR, PET/CT and pre-clinical MR research facilities at the Campus for Ageing and Vitality on the Newcastle General Hospital site which opened in 2006/2007.
The NICR provides research students with a supportive learning environment, an active mentoring system and a stimulating research seminar/journal club programme.
The NICR is involved in extensive external academic and commercial collaborations. The NICR is a full member of a number of key national and international academic networks, and these memberships reflect the vitality and standing of Newcastle as a translational research centre.