Scientific Executive Board

The Scientific Executive Board (SEB) is a committee which: i) develops the research strategy of CRUK for discusion with the Research Committee (a committee of Council) and recommendation for approval to Council; ii) implements the research strategy and research policy, including the scientific elements of the long term business plan and the annual scientific budget; and iii) provides advice, information and comments on research related issues to other parts of CRUK.

SEB works with: the Research Committee, particularly for the development and implementation of the scientific policy and strategy and for review of performance in this area; other Committees of Council, or other groupings; the CRUK Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), comprising the Chairs of Funding Committees and other members as appropriate, which meets jointly with SEB to provide advice on matters which require scientific expertise (see Scientific Advisory Board section below); Funding Committees and specially convened expert review panels, which make funding decisions on grant applications, provide recommendations to SEB as appropriate for ratification or decision, and which require scientific information or advice in the conduct of their activities; and, the Executive Board, for the interface of scientific activities with the rest of the Charity.

SEB meets every two months and is currently chaired by Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director, Research & Innovation (R&I) and CEO of Cancer Research Technology (CRT).

Scientific experts are invited in to help inform discussion on particular topics.

Members of the SEB 

• Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director, Research & Innovation and CEO of CRT (Chair)
• Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive
• Angela Morrison, Chief Operating Officer
• Professor Charles Swanton, Chief Clinician
• Professor Ketan Patel, Chief Scientist
• Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director, Policy, Information & Communications
• Dr Catherine Elliott, Director of Research & Partnerships (non-voting member)

Responsibilities

The Scientific Executive Board holds overall responsibility for Cancer Research UK's research funding, and has oversight of the funding committees who award grants for investigator-led research.

The board can also consider approaches for funding that do not fall within the scope of our existing funding committees and schemes. For example, this may be because:

• The cost exceeds the limits available to a committee
• The scope spans the remit of multiple funding committees
• An initiative involves a consortium-based approach
• There is a need to recruit international leadership in key research areas

It is rare for us to fund activity this way as most activity should be covered via our funding schemes, but approaches via this route are considered on an individual basis. In the first Instance it is recommended that you discuss ideas with Iain Foulkes or Charles Swanton.

Scientific Advisory Board

The role of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is to provide scientific and strategic advice to the Scientific Executive Board (SEB) and the Research Committee of Council (RC), as required, on the following: CRUK’s research strategy and policy; the oversight, review, funding and management of CRUK’s research funding portfolio; the latest developments in cancer research both from within the UK and internationally, and both from a scientific perspective and from a research funding standpoint; views and perspectives of the cancer research community; and any other matter with SEB’s or RC’s remit that requires broad scientific understanding and/or a deep knowledge of CRUK’s research funding portfolio.

Members of the SAB consist of the Chairs of the following CRUK Funding Committees and Boards:

• Clinical Research Committee – Professor Rob Bristow, University of Manchester 
• Discovery Research Committee – Professor Simon Boulton, Francis Crick Institute
• Early Detection & Diagnosis Research Committee – Professor Cathie Sudlow, University of Edinburgh
• Prevention & Population Research Committee – Professor Kay-Tee Khaw, University of Cambridge
• Research Careers Committee – Professor Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke, Barts Cancer Institute
• Research Data Strategy Advisory Board – Professor Bissan Al-Lazikani