North West Cancer Research Funds Three New PhD Projects in Manchester
North West Cancer Research has announced funding for three new PhD projects based in Manchester, reinforcing its commitment to advancing cancer research and improving outcomes for patients across the North West and North Wales.
The projects are now accepting applications and will close on 07/04/2025.
Further information about the projects can be found on the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health website.
We’re delighted that North West Cancer Research is supporting three PhD projects within the Manchester Cancer Research Centre partnership. Our region faces significant health inequalities, with higher rates of certain cancers compared to the national average. These projects have the potential to drive meaningful advancements in cancer research and bring us closer to a future free from the burden of cancer.
Professor Robert Bristow
Director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre
About North West Cancer Research
North West Cancer Research is an independent charity dedicated to tackling cancer across the North West and North Wales. The funding is part of the charity’s commitment to support the next generation of cancer researchers in the region in their mission to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
The charity, in partnership with The Eve Appeal, has previously awarded a three-year fellowship to Dr. Kelechi Njoku from The University of Manchester, aimed at developing a simpler and less invasive test for detecting womb cancer.
This latest round of funding underscores North West Cancer Research’s ongoing dedication to supporting groundbreaking projects that have the potential to transform cancer diagnosis and treatment in the region.
Professor Robert Bristow, Director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, expressed his enthusiasm for the newly funded projects:
“We’re delighted that North West Cancer Research is supporting three PhD projects within the Manchester Cancer Research Centre partnership. Our region faces significant health inequalities, with higher rates of certain cancers compared to the national average. These projects have the potential to drive meaningful advancements in cancer research and bring us closer to a future free from the burden of cancer.”
About the projects
The three PhD projects span different cancer types and research approaches, each aiming to address critical challenges in cancer treatment and patient outcomes.
Identification of regulators of cytotoxic T-cell infiltration and activity in ER+ breast cancer
Lead supervisor: Dr Frances Turrell
Dr Frances Turrell is leading a project which aims to understand why immunotherapy is less effective in breast cancers that are dependent on the hormone oestrogen. As these types of breast cancers are the most common, she is setting out to better understand the biology of breast cancer and how the cell types communicate within the tumour to ultimately identify new ways to enhance immune response, potentially opening doors for better treatments.
Apply on the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health website
(Deadline: 07/04/2025)
Exploring novel precision therapies for high-grade serous ovarian cancer: does acquired PARP inhibitor resistance confer sensitivity to PARG inhibitors?
Lead supervisor: Professor Stephen Taylor
Professor Stephen Taylor’s project is focused on high-grade serous ovarian cancer – the most aggressive type of ovarian cancer and the hardest to treat. PARG inhibitors are just entering clinical studies, bringing hope for better, more targeted treatments. To better understand how PARG inhibitors work and identify which patients are most likely to benefit, this project will explore sensitivity to inhibitors of PARG and PARP enzymes in our living biobank of patient-derived ovarian cancer samples.
Apply on the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health website
(Deadline: 07/04/2025)
Novel potent and selective inhibitors of PMCA4 as anti-metastatic drugs to treat pancreatic cancer
Lead supervisor: Dr Jason Bruce
Dr Jason Bruce is tackling pancreatic cancer – one of the most deadly and difficult to treat cancers. He plans to test potent new drugs designed to block a calcium pump on the membrane of cancer cells that keeps calcium low inside the cells. If this calcium pump is successfully blocked, it will cause calcium to build up inside the cancer cells, stopping them from spreading and eventually killing the cells completely. Lab models of pancreatic cancer will be genetically engineered to study how well the new drugs work against them. If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that slow or stop the spread of pancreatic cancer, offering hope for improved survival rates.
Apply on the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health website
(Deadline: 07/04/2025)
How to apply
Applications for these fully-funded PhD projects are now open for 2025 entry. To apply, visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health website to learn more about each project.
We encourage interested candidates to contact the project supervisor to discuss your suitability for your chosen project. Please then submit a full application on The University of Manchester application portal.
You can also read more about each project on Find A PhD:
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Novel potent and selective inhibitors of PMCA4 as anti-metastatic drugs to treat pancreatic cancer
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Identification of regulators of cytotoxic T-cell infiltration and activity in ER+ breast cancer
The deadline for submission is 07/04/2025
