Wednesday 8 December 1999
A £25 million expansion of the UK's top cancer research centre is opened by HRH The Prince of Wales today.
Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research's new laboratories are using a multi-disciplinary approach - unique in Britain - and the latest technologies, to solve the mystery of genes involved in all types of cancer, and develop new treatments for the disease.
The Institute of Cancer Research, which has a world-wide reputation for excellence and was rated the UK's leading cancer research centre in a government assessment, has made its biggest investment ever to develop its Chester Beatty Laboratory on Fulham Road in Chelsea.
The Institute development also includes the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre - The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre - established in partnership with the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer. HRH The Prince of Wales is patron of the charity.
Dr Peter Rigby, Chief Executive of the Institute of Cancer Research commented: "Cancer genetics is the cutting edge of cancer research, and the Institute has an impressive track record. We have mapped or cloned more cancer genes than any other organisation in the world.
In order to ensure that these discoveries translate into new treatments we have brought together biologists who look inside cancer genes, and chemists who develop therapies. This new approach is much more targeted and means we hope to halve the time it takes to develop drugs from ten years to five.
With this major new £25 million investment we are embarking on a grand project with 750 people including those at our site in Sutton, all working in one direction, in a focused and co-ordinated programme.
We are also absolutely delighted with our partnership with Breakthrough Breast Cancer in successfully establishing the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre."
Professor Mike Stratton of the Institute of Cancer Research, who discovered the breast cancer gene BRCA2, won funding from The Wellcome Trust to embark on the Cancer Genome Project at The Sanger Centre, to map all the genes involved in cancer. Work at the Institute's laboratories will exploit the findings of this project to develop new treatments for many different cancers.
The laboratories open as a MORI poll commissioned by the Institute shows that support for cancer research is a priority for the British public - with four out of five (80 per cent) of adults saying they would support cancer or leukaemia above any other medical research charity.
Cancer came well ahead of the other nine options of medical research in the survey. Support for medical research charities is second only to children's charities as the public's preferred type of charity. However, over half of those who would be prepared to support children's charities would also be inclined to support medical research.
The Institute of Cancer Research is Europe's largest cancer research centre through its unique relationship with the Royal Marsden Hospital. This major investment has sent it racing ahead and will provide a blue-print for the way in which cancer research is conducted in the future.
Research at the Institute's expanded laboratories on Fulham Road includes:
- 1st and 2nd floors:
The BreakthroughToby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, led by Professor Alan Ashworth - 3rd and 6th floors:
The Section of Gene Function and Regulation, led by Dr Tariq Enver focusing on understanding genetic interactions and discovering the mechanisms which cause healthy cells to become cancerous. - 4th floor:
The Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology led by Professor Chris Marshall. Much of the research in the Centre focuses on the molecular dissection of cancer genes, examining what causes cell proliferation and working out which proteins act as the brakes on this process. - 5th floor:
The Section of Structural Biology, led by Professors Laurence Pearl and David Barford, is determining the structure of normal and abnormal proteins by creating 3D computer images of the molecules that make cells work. This section includes the Cancer Research UK Bio-Molecular Structure Unit led by Professor Stephen Neidle. - Annex:
The Leukaemia Research Fund Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology of Leukaemia, led by Professor Mel Greaves is concerned with advancing the understanding of leukaemia, leading to the introduction of preventative measures and designing new molecular tools for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of leukaemia.
- ends -
For more information, please contact The Press Office, at the Institute of Cancer Research press office on:-
Tel: 0207 970 6030
Email: [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About the Institute of Cancer Research:
- The Institute of Cancer Research was established in 1909 to carry out research into the causes of cancer and to develop new strategies for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. It has a unique relationship with The Royal Marsden Hospital so that research moves quickly from bench to bedside.
- The Institute has two sites - one on the Fulham Road, Chelsea, and one in Sutton, Surrey. It has a current total of 750 staff which is projected to increase to 900 over the next 5 years.
Among its many successes the Institute of Cancer Research has:
- Discovered that DNA malfunction is the basic cause of all cancers
- Demonstrated the link between tobacco smoking and lung cancer
- Developed many of the key drugs now used in the treatment of cancer
- Isolated the breast cancer gene BRCA2
- Developed the revolutionary treatment for testicular cancer which has led to today's 96 per cent cure rate
- Mapped or cloned more cancer-related genes than any other cancer research organisation in the world
The New Development
- The new development is an extension of the Institute of Cancer Research's existing Chester Beatty Laboratory on Fulham Road in Chelsea which was established in 1939.
- Two thirds of the expanded building is devoted to the Institute's research into a wide variety of cancers, and one third to breast cancer, in the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre - The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre. This was set up in a partnership between the Institute of Cancer Research and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
- This development means that scientists are now working in a multi-disciplinary programme to understand the genes associated with all forms of cancer, and to develop new treatments.
- The building cost a total of £25 million, with £18 million from the Institute of Cancer Research and £7 million from Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
- The expansion of the building has provided an additional 6000m2 of space and includes fully serviced laboratories, a refurbished conference room, new meeting rooms, a new enlarged common room and a new reception area. It has doubled the Institute's space and facilities.
- There will be a total of 450 people at the Institute of Cancer Research in Chelsea, including 80-100 in the Breakthrough Centre over the next few years. The total number of Institute staff, including those at its site in Sutton, will be 900.
- The architects were RMJM and the constructors were Tarmac (now Carillion). Construction began in August 1996 and was completed in August 1999.
Technical Note:
MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 2,003 adults aged 15+ in 159 sampling points throughout Great Britain. Fieldwork was conducted from 19 -22 November 1999. All interviews were conducted in-home. Data have been weighted to the known profile of the British population.
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.