Research opportunities in children's and young people's cancersResearch opportunities in children's and young people's cancers
Mikail, first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020.
Different challenges. Same determination.
We’re prioritising research in children's and young people's cancers to address the unique barriers researchers and partners face in driving progress in this area.
Our commitment to children's and young people's cancer
Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults – from the types of cancer to the specific challenges facing the research community.
Over the past 50 years, research has helped transform the survival of children and young people with cancer. We’re proud of our role as the biggest funder of research into children’s and young people’s cancer in the UK, having doubled our annual spend in this area in the last five years.
We're continuing this investment through our current funding schemes across all cancer types, which are open to children's and young people's cancer researchers.
Our priorities
Working with the UK and international research community, like-minded organisations, industry and those with lived experience, we are addressing some of the following key barriers to create a future where all children and young people can lead longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
Improving our understanding through discovery research
We’re investing in discovery research to improve our understanding of the unique biology of cancers affecting 0-24-year-olds that can, in turn, lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Increasing therapeutic innovation
Through Cancer Grand Challenges, we’re driving global team research into pioneering new approaches to treat childhood cancers. Through our translational arm, Cancer Research Horizons, we're building partnerships with industry, investors and other charities to develop and deliver new therapies for young cancer patients.
Enhancing clinical trial capability and delivery
We’re funding and sponsoring cutting edge trials, pushing for equitable access and more efficient clinical trial delivery to improve children’s and young people’s cancer clinical trials.
Improving data access and sharing
We're leveraging the unique ecosystem in the UK and tackling barriers around issues such as data access and linkage to better support a world-leading data-enabled research environment for children's and young people's cancer.
Community building and support
We’re bringing together the research community, enabling new collaborations, supporting data-driven communities and translating promising treatments into the clinic for children and young people.
Building capacity and community
We’re uniting a multidisciplinary and diverse children’s and young people’s cancer research community in the UK through networking, funding, career development opportunities and events.
Research translation
Do you have an idea or a discovery with commercial potential? Are you interested in working with industry? Our team can help develop your most promising projects into tools, tests and treatments for people affected by cancer.
Data community support
We’re developing a network to streamline access to nationally-held cancer-relevant health data, as part of our Research Data Strategy.
Research tools
VIVO Biobank is the UK’s leading research resource dedicated to storing samples and data of cancers affecting children and young people.
Translating cancer therapeutics for children and young people
C-Further, an international consortium launched by Cancer Research Horizons and LifeArc, brings together researchers, clinicians, scientists in drug discovery and development, partners, and impact investors with a shared commitment to creating new cancer therapeutics for children and young people.
Do you have an asset within the childhood cancer space across diverse modalities with therapeutic potential? C-Further could help progress your innovation.
Our research in children’s and young people’s cancers
We support a wide portfolio of children's and young people's cancer research across the pipeline, from discovery science to translational studies and clinical trials.
Stratified Medicine Paediatrics 2 programme
We're co-funding this £5.5m research programme to advance precision medicine for children and young people with cancer.
Cancer Grand Challenges
We co-fund three Cancer Grand Challenges teams, NexTGen, KOODAC, and PROTECT, who aim to find new ways to treat solid tumours in children and young people.
SU2C–CRUK Paediatric Cancer New Discoveries Challenge awards
We renewed funding for two research collaborations, who will each receive a further $5m to continue their projects and bring better treatments for children and young people with cancer.
Latest news and features
Failing the most vulnerable
Sam Deams, Portfolio Director at Waterland Private Equity and Patient Advocate, delves into why traditional drug discovery models for children's and young people's cancer have failed and why we need C-Further.
Considering teenage and young adult cancers across the research pipeline
In a Trends in Cancer article, Cancer Research UK's Dr Laura Danielson and Rosanna Larter explore why we need to collectively drive research into teenage and young adult cancers to develop and deliver better treatments for young people.
New scan technique gives children the right medulloblastoma diagnosis in minutes, not weeks
Research co-led by Professors Andrew Peet and Steve Clifford and funded by Children with Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK found a potential way to use MRI scans to diagnose the sub-types of medulloblastoma in as little as ten minutes.
One to One with Laura Danielson – That Cancer Conversation podcast
We hear from Dr Laura Danielson, our research lead for children's and young people's cancer, about her experiences and work to reduce barriers and drive progress in children's and young people's research.
Meet the team
Do you have questions about our children's and young people's cancer research? Reach out to our research funding team.
Laura Danielson
Children’s and Young People’s Research Lead
Victoria Walker
Research Programme Manager
Eleanor Stead
Research Programme Manager
Rosanna Larter
Project Manager
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