MCRC Director's Update

BBC News feature highlights UK-first TOPICAL trial
Congratulations to Dr Emma Searle, Chief Investigator of the TOPICAL trial and RISE Deputy Lead, following BBC News coverage of this UK-first study at The Christie. The trial aims to help make advanced cancer therapies safer by improving understanding of how topical treatments could help manage side effects and support patients during treatment. Thank you also to Jason Walker, the trial’s first patient, for sharing his story and helping to bring the importance of this research to a wider audience.

MCRC Welcome Lecture explores advances in radiotherapy combinations
Earlier this month, we were pleased to welcome Professor Ludwig Dubois, Chair in Experimental and Translational Radiobiology at The University of Manchester, for an MCRC Welcome Lecture exploring how radiotherapy can be combined with other treatment strategies to improve outcomes for people with cancer. Professor Dubois discussed tumour hypoxia, radiation response, normal tissue toxicity, immunotherapy combinations and future opportunities for personalised radiotherapy.

Spotlight on Manchester Publications and Grants

New prostate cancer trial explores fibre supplement to reduce radiotherapy side effects
A new Prostate Cancer UK-funded trial is exploring whether a common plant-derived fibre supplement could help reduce side effects from radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Co-led by Professor Ananya Choudhury from The University of Manchester, the DIETRICH trial will recruit around 220 men across eight UK cancer centres to test whether inulin can support gut health, reduce inflammation and improve patients’ experience before, during and after radiotherapy.

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New Immunity publication highlights role of activated dendritic cells in cancer immunity
A major new publication in Immunity by Cell Press has highlighted the critical role of activated dendritic cells in shaping the immune system’s response to cancer and supporting the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Led by Professor Santiago Zelenay and Dr Maria Koufaki, the research used new mouse models to label or remove activated dendritic cells, allowing the team to study these rare cells in detail and better understand their importance in launching and sustaining anti-tumour immune responses. The findings raise important questions about whether boosting activated dendritic cells could help strengthen cancer immunity and improve responses to immunotherapy in patients. The study was primarily funded by Cancer Research UK, with additional support from EMBO and AIRC.

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International collaborations

C8 workshop examines sex- and gender-related factors in non-reproductive cancers
International engagement has also remained a strong feature of recent months. The MCRC hosted colleagues from Institut Curie in Manchester for a hybrid C8 workshop exploring sex- and gender-related effects on cancer outcomes and biology in non-reproductive cancers. Co-organised with Institut Curie as part of the C8 Workshop series on inequalities and cancer risk, progression and treatment outcomes, the session highlighted the importance of understanding how biological sex, gendered exposures, lived experience and wider social determinants can influence cancer susceptibility, tumour biology, treatment response and survivorship. The workshop offered an important opportunity to share expertise across the C8 community, identify gaps in current knowledge and strengthen international collaboration around more inclusive, evidence-led approaches to cancer research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

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Strengthening international collaboration with European and Ukrainian partners
We were privileged to welcome European colleagues to Manchester for two days of inspiring conversations on international collaboration in cancer research, care and education in August. The visit brought together partners from the National Cancer Institute of Ukraine and wider Ukrainian networks, alongside colleagues from The University of Manchester, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and Manchester Cancer Research Centre, to discuss future opportunities for collaboration and partnership. It was particularly meaningful to meet colleagues from Ukraine in person after many online conversations and the discussions offered a valuable reminder of the importance of working together across borders to support progress in cancer research and care.

International seminar explores tumour hypoxia in prostate and cervical cancer
We were delighted to welcome Professor Heidi Lyng, Head of the Clinical Radiation Biology Group at the Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital and Oslo University Hospital, to the Oglesby Cancer Research Building for a seminar on translational studies of hypoxia in prostate and cervical cancer. The session explored how a deeper understanding of tumour hypoxia, imaging biomarkers and molecular data can help shape more personalised radiotherapy strategies and identify future drug-radiotherapy combinations. Thank you to Professor Lyng for sharing her expertise, and to everyone who joined us for such an engaging and thoughtful discussion.

Strengthening global oncology collaborations with partners in Kenya and the United States
Professor Sacha Howell, Rachel Chown and I represented Manchester in a series of joint meetings with the National Cancer Institute of Kenya and at a Global Summit in Nairobi, held from 2-4 September 2026. The summit was sponsored by the African Academy of Sciences and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s global oncology programme, bringing together international partners to explore opportunities for future collaboration in cancer research, training and care. Discussions focused on developing bilateral partnerships in areas including an NCI-Kenya and Christie-supported scholars programme, expansion of mobile early detection in Kenya following the success of the NIHR GACD project between MCRC and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, and the use of genomics to support precision oncology and co-clinical trials. I also chaired a session on the organisation and governance of African-led oncology and cancer research programmes. Learning from the meetings will help inform future training, education and grant opportunities aligned with the Christie International and Global Oncology strategy and the newly announced Manchester Africa Strategy.

National and Local Collaborations

MCRC 20th Anniversary Seminar Series explores transdisciplinary approaches to cancer
As part of the MCRC 20th Anniversary Seminar Series, we were delighted to welcome Professor Mark Lawler, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics at Queen’s University Belfast, to Manchester in July for his keynote, “Competing Against Cancer – Climb aboard the Transdisciplinary Express”. The lecture explored how transdisciplinary working, cancer data and digital health can help tackle inequalities and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer. It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout for the event, which provided a valuable opportunity to bring colleagues together and continue celebrating 20 years of collaboration, discovery and impact at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre.

FBMH Heroes award recognises team science in oesophageal cancer research
Congratulations to colleagues across the MCRC and wider partnership who received the Team Science Award at the FBMH Heroes Awards 2026 for their work on the NIHR Global Health Research Group for Improving Oesophageal Cancer Survival in Kenya: The Hub and Spoke Model. The award, held on 1 July 2026, recognised collaboration between the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, The University of Manchester, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, The Christie, Northern Care Alliance and other partners to improve access to oesophageal cancer screening, diagnosis and research in Kenya. The project highlights the importance of international partnership and team science in tackling cancer inequalities, strengthening early detection and building cancer research capacity.

Watch the recording of the awards

Cancer Research Horizons visit highlights innovation and commercialisation
In July, Cancer Research Horizons visited Manchester to showcase its support for innovation, translational research and commercialisation projects. The visit also provided an opportunity for strategic discussions with key partners, including the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, the CRUK National Biomarker Centre, MCRC and the University of Manchester Division of Cancer Sciences.

Announcements

Looking ahead to the MCRC’s 20th anniversary events

As part of the MCRC’s 20th anniversary celebrations, plans are taking shape for a series of events marking two decades of progress, partnership and innovation. Be sure to register for our upcoming celebration events:

• Tuesday 10th November 2026, 15:00-16:30 (BST) – ‘Cancer in a time of conflict: from political economy to systems engineering’: Join us for a compelling keynote by Professor Richard Sullivan, a world-leading expert in global health security and cancer policy. This session will move beyond the biology of the disease to explore the political economy of cancer and the systems engineering required to sustain care in conflict-affected ecosystems. Sign up on Eventbrite.

In other news – updates from across the cancer research ecosystem

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

– Researchers at The Christie have published a comprehensive review in the Journal of Clinical Oncology examining why some uncommon EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer are more resistant to treatment than others. Led by Dr Federico Monaca, with Professor Raffaele Califano as senior author, the review brings together evidence from laboratory research, clinical trials and real-world studies to better understand the biology of PACC mutations and exon 20 insertions, current and emerging treatment options, and the mechanisms that drive resistance. The work provides an evidence-based framework to support clinical decision-making and help shape future clinical trials for this group of patients.

– Researchers at The Christie have published one of the largest studies of its kind in the British Journal of Cancer, identifying a potential link between the timing of immunotherapy and patient outcomes that needs further investigation.

– Some women with breast cancer need extra radiotherapy treatments called ‘boosts’. The Christie is recruiting patients to the UK’s largest breast cancer radiotherapy trial, FAST-Forward Boost, which is investigating whether a full course of treatment, including the ‘boost’, can safely be delivered in just five days rather than 15, making care more convenient for patients.

– The Christie was the highest-recruiting site in the APHRODITE trial for early rectal cancer, recruiting 37 of the trial’s 119 participants. The trial received the Donal Hollywood Award for the highest-scoring abstract at the ESTRO Congress and showed that a higher dose of radiotherapy increased the proportion of patients achieving a complete response. The Christie also had key representation in the trial leadership, with Mark Saunders and Rohit Kochhar as members of the Trial Management Group and Claire Arthur as Principal Investigator.

Division of Cancer Sciences

– Congratulations to Dr Kelechi Njoku, NIHR Clinical Lecturer at The University of Manchester, who has received the Commitment to Clinical Research Award from North West Cancer Research and was shortlisted in the Health Research and Life Sciences category at the Black Healthcare Awards 2026. The recognition reflects his contribution to translational cancer research and his work to develop innovative point-of-care diagnostics for women’s cancers, supporting earlier, kinder and more accessible diagnosis for patients in Manchester and beyond.

Professor Rob Bristow

Director, Manchester Cancer Research Centre,

Director, CRUK Manchester Centre