Monday 11 September 2006
The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Europe’s leading comprehensive cancer centre, are delighted to be awarded funding for a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner. The new scanner is twice the strength of our current scanners and will enable researchers and clinicians to measure tumour behaviour in much greater detail.
The state-of-the-art 3T MRI scanner will be used for clinical research studies and will play a pivotal role in bringing the latest developments in cancer research to patients as soon as possible.
The new scanner will allow researchers to assess more aspects of the tumour, including detailed images of precise location and extent of tumour. This will aid the planning of treatments, as well as measurement of how tumours respond to new treatments. Such information is also crucial in the development of anti-cancer treatments specifically targeted to individual tumours. The new scanner will be ready for use in autumn 2007.
Professor Martin Leach, Co-Director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research Group at The Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding for the new MRI scanner. The scanner will enable us to look much more closely at tumours to more accurately determine the exact extent of disease and then to look at the uptake and effect of new cancer treatments in patients. The scanner will greatly improve our understanding of cancers and most importantly will provide us with crucial information to help stop them growing.”
The new scanner will be funded by a consortium led by the Wellcome Trust and which includes The Wolfson Foundation, Medical Research Council and the Department of Health. The scheme is backed by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) which brings together these health-related government bodies and charities with the ultimate aim of improving health care for patients.
Cally Palmer, Chief Executive of the Royal Marsden, said: “The Royal Marsden would like to acknowledge the support we have received from Professor Sally Davies, Director of Research and Development at the Department of Health, which has allowed us to undertake such an important initiative for research and clinical development.”
Professor Peter Rigby, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research said: “We are delighted to have been awarded funding for the new scanner which is crucial to our drug development programme. The scanner will enable us to study the effects of potential new cancer treatments developed at The Institute in much greater detail and will play a pivotal role in our fight against cancer.”
Dr Nandita Desouza, Co-Director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research Group at The Institute of Cancer Research and Consultant Radiologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital said: “This funding is great news for patient-centered research at The Institute and the Royal Marsden. The technology will enable us to understand individual tumours better and monitor specific patterns of treatment response in order to target therapies appropriately. It will ultimately improve diagnosis and treatment for patients.”
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For further information please contact:
Nadia Ramsey
The Institute of Cancer Research
0207 153 5359 / 07788 427856
[email protected]
Notes to editors:
- The Institute and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust work in a unique partnership, forming the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Europe. This relationship enables close daily contact with those on the frontline in the fight against cancer - the clinicians, the carers and most importantly, the patients.
- The Institute of Cancer Research. The Institute of Cancer Research is Europe’s leading cancer research centre with expert scientists working on cutting edge research. It was founded in 1909 to carry out research into the causes of cancer and to develop new strategies for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Website at: www.icr.ac.uk.
- The Institute is a charity that relies on voluntary income. The Institute is one of the world’s most cost-effective major cancer research organisations with over 90p in every £ directly supporting research.
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. Over 40,000 people are treated each year at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea and Sutton. Website at: www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk.
- The Wellcome Trust. The Wellcome Trust is the most diverse biomedical research charity in the world, spending about £450 million every year both in the UK and internationally to support and promote research that will improve the health of humans and animals. The Trust was established under the will of Sir Henry Wellcome, and is funded from a private endowment, which is managed with long-term stability and growth in mind.
- The Wolfson Foundation. The Wolfson Foundation is a charitable foundation set up in 1955 whose aims were stated by the Founder Trustees to be the advancement of science and medicine, health, education, the arts and humanities. These remain the aims of the Trustees today. As a general policy, grants are given to act as a catalyst, to back excellence and talent and to provide for promising future projects which may currently be underfunded. Grants are made to universities or research institutes for student accommodation, equipment for research, new buildings and renovations."