Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, visited The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust last night to view their new state-of-the-art facilities and be updated on their world-leading work in cancer research and treatment.
The ICR and The Royal Marsden together form one of the world’s leading centres for cancer research and treatment, with cutting-edge facilities including The Royal Marsden’s new £18m Centre for Molecular Pathology and the ICR’s £20m Centre for Cancer Imaging, which is under construction.
Mr Alexander was joined by Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, and Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, for the visit to the ICR’s and The Royal Marsden’s Sutton site. He viewed the site and visited the ICR’s visualisation suite, which projects three-dimensional chemical models onto a giant screen to allow drugs to be designed that can precisely attack cancers.
He also heard about the ICR’s success in commercialising its research in order to take new treatments as rapidly as possible to patients. A new analysis reveals that it ranks first among UK higher education institutions for the invention income generated per member of academic staff.
Danny Alexander said: “The ICR and the Royal Marsden make a great contribution to keep Britain at the cutting edge of the medical science research. It's high-tech centres like this that provide millions of jobs across the country and will help build a stronger economy. I was pleased to meet the team at the ICR and was very impressed by the world class research center on your doorstep in Sutton."
Professor Alan Ashworth, Chief Executive of the ICR, said: “The ICR works in close partnership with The Royal Marsden and through commercial arrangements with biotech companies to take our research findings rapidly to patients. Danny Alexander’s visit was an excellent opportunity to showcase our joint Sutton site – one of the local area’s biggest employers – and the benefits our work brings both for patients with cancer and the economy.”
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, said: “As well a lot of local jobs, the important work being done by the ICR and The Royal Marsden, through research and care, will save more lives than we can count. We should all be proud of what they have achieved. It being in Belmont is a huge positive for the area and shows that Sutton is a place where important things happen on the international stage."
Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, said: “Sutton is a world leader when it comes to cancer research and treatment which in turn creates employment, investment and educational opportunities for London and the UK.
“We are committed to supporting the ICR and The Royal Marsden to develop their ambitions further so they continue to be one of our borough’s great success stories.”