MCRC Director's Update
April and May 2025
Hello everyone,
This is my first update since March after what has been an action-packed two months of international travel for the MCRC. In this bumper version of the Director’s Update, we will reflect on April and May at the MCRC and the many events, activities and accolades that took place.
Scientific board and AACR visit in Kenya
At the end of March, we were delighted to once again visit our collaborators in Kenya for the External Advisory Board meeting for our NIHR Global Health Research project to improve the outcomes through the early detection of oesophageal cancer. This year we were delighted to be joined by Professor Pat LoRusso, the 2024-2025 president of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), as part of AACR’s Global Oncology initiative to strengthen clinical cancer training in Africa and running cooperative clinical trials.
AACR 2025 – an impressive showcase of Manchester research
Fast forward to the end of April, and the MCRC led a delegation of researchers out to Chicago to attend the AACR 2025 Congress. I was delighted to be asked by Professor Pat LoRusso to chair this year’s Presidential Select Symposium on Increasing Survival in LMICs. This year, we chose to use the platform to spotlight the international cancer challenge with an increasing cancer burden in Africa and the role scientists play in understanding tumour biology and genomics in order to define strategies to reduce this burden. It was a privilege to spotlight work from across our partnership including our research collaboration with Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) with my co-lead, Dr. George Njoroge.
“Cancer is a global disease – it spares no continent, no country. And each patient that gets the disease deserves treatment.” Professor Patricia LoRusso
Congratulations are in order for Professor Caroline Dive, who was this year initiated as a Fellow of the AACR Academy. This impressive accolade is in recognition of her ongoing work in small cell lung cancer research. Caroline complemented this accolade by then delivering a “Meet the Expert” session showcasing work from the CRUK Manchester Institute and the CRUK National Biomarker Centre.
Discover more about Manchester’s research showing at AACR in our MCRC blog.
Rachel Chown presenting her poster at AACR alongside co-authors Professors David Wedge, Rob Bristow and George Njoroge
Professor Robert Bristow chairing the presidential select symposium focusing on: "Leveraging science to reduce the cancer burden worldwide"
Ca-PRI 2025
After more than a year organising, primary care researchers and GPs arrived en masse on 29th April to attend the two day Ca-PRI 2025 conference, hosted this year at The Lowry in Salford and supported by the MCRC. While I was unable to attend, I was delighted that Manchester could host the largest-ever Ca-PRI conference with more than 250 attendees and 217 abstracts presented.
This year’s conference focused on themes of innovation, inequalities and interdisciplinary care with a packed agenda covering topics of early detection, applying technology to reshape diagnostics and ensuring equity in high-quality care access.
Congratulations to conference chair Dr Sam Merriel and the wider organising committee for putting on a memorable conference. Read more about the conference in the MCRC Blog.
My visit to IARC in Lyon
Basser Center BRCA Scientific Symposium
Still in April, I was delighted to be invited to talk at the Basser Center for BRCA research Scientific Symposium about aggressive trajectories in hereditary prostate cancer. A highlight of the symposium was that Professor Gareth Evans was awarded the Basser BRCA Impact Award and Lecture, recognising his lifetime of work committed to BRCA research.
ESTRO 2025
Transitioning to May, the MCRC started the month with another impressive research showcase at an international conference. A large delegation from the radiotherapy research group arrived in Vienna for the ESTRO 2025 congress, featuring 20 presentations and 39 digital posters.
Congratulations should be shared with Professor Corinne Faivre-Finn who was awarded ESTRO’s highest honour, the Klaus Breur award, recognising her significant achievements in team science relating to lung cancer radiotherapy research. Corinne was honoured at the conference by delivering a seminar titled: “Women in radiation oncology leadership: Shaping the future”.
Moreover, the MCRC was delighted to host the latest ESTRO conference networking event alongside The Christie and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Our team were delighted to reconnect and celebrate all our successes with funders, researchers, trainees, and international alumni.
Making a Difference
Recognising the MCRC’s ongoing commitment to public engagement, I’m delighted that Simon Reeds, MCRC Outreach and Engagement Manager, was awarded a Making a Difference Award from The University of Manchester.
Simon was recognised for his work ‘Increasing inclusivity and access to cancer research’ in the Outstanding Professional Services for Social Responsibility category. Simon’s commitment and efforts in public engagement and social responsibility have proved to be vital in fostering an open and vibrant research environment. Congratulations Simon, you deserve this accolade.
I highlighted specific exemplars that used scientific and public engagement across these populations in the design of new clinical trials, that will drive innovative changes and improve outcomes for our patients not only here, but worldwide.
In other news
Members of my Translational Oncogenomics and Prof David Wedge’s lab travelled to Bologna to attend the Pan Prostate Cancer Genomics meeting studying multiomic signatures of prostate cancer progression and aggression. Our PhD student, Lucy Barton, gave a superb talk on the role of c-MYC and 8q gains in the stunning Archiginnasio Municipal Library built in 1592.
A look ahead to June
Next month, we host the latest MCRC-DCS postgraduate researcher showcase. This event is an opportunity to discover more research from across Manchester, beyond your immediate research group and field.
In addition, we’re delighted that Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald (Cambridge Early Detection Institute) and Professor David Stern (Yale University) will be joining as keynote talks during the showcase. These lectures are open to everyone, so if you’d like to know more about the early detection science and opportunities for clinician scientists we encourage you to register for these Director’s Lectures.
I hope everyone has an incredible month, and I look forward to updating you at the end of June.
Professor Rob Bristow
Director, Manchester Cancer Research Centre,
Director, CRUK Manchester Centre
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