Outside view of ICR building

Centres and strategic collaborations

Our multidisciplinary centres of excellence and strategic collaborations bring a critical mass of leading researchers together from across the ICR, The Royal Marsden and partner institutions to tackle some of the biggest challenges in cancer research and treatment. By sharing expertise, technology and resources, we aim to deliver world class research that rapidly benefits patients.

A nurse and patient at the Royal Marsden Hospital

Biomedical Research Centre

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at The Royal Marsden and the ICR is the only BRC to specifically focus on cancer. Its aim is to drive pioneering, translational and clinical research.
Researcher working in the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at the ICR

Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre

The Breast Cancer Now Research Centre receives most of its funding from its parent charity Breast Cancer Now, and was opened in 1999 by Breast Cancer Now's Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales.

Outside of Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery

Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery

The Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery is the largest academic cancer drug discovery and development group worldwide, covering every aspect of new drug discovery and development.

Centre for Cancer Imaging

The new Centre for Cancer Imaging will use cutting-edge imaging techniques to understand cancer’s development and response to treatment – as a means of accelerating the discovery of new therapies.

Statue of Charles Darwin at Natural History Museum in London

Centre for Evolution and Cancer

The Centre for Evolution and Cancer is applying Charles Darwin’s principle of natural selection within ecosystems to our understanding of why we develop cancer and why it is so difficult to treat.

Metaphase cell stained for centrosomes, microtubules, chromosomes (blue) and intermediate filaments

Centre for Genome Stability

The Centre for Genome Stability is a unique multidisciplinary programme bringing together experts from across the ICR and The Royal Marsden who work on DNA-damage response and genome instability research with clinical experts in the treatment of cancer

Sir Richard Doll Building in Sutton

Centre for Global Oncology

Our aim is to promote cancer research, training, fundraising and infrastructure building in low and middle income countries.
Oral squamous cancer cell (white) being attacked by two cytotoxic T cells (red)

Centre for Immunotherapy of Cancer

This virtual centre aims to increase communication between clinicians and scientists with an interest in translational immunotherapy. It brings together staff and students from the ICR and our partner hospital, The Royal Marsden.
Exterior shot of the Centre for Molecular Pathology

Centre for Molecular Pathology

This centre is a collaborative initiative between The Royal Marsden the ICR that aims to identify the molecular mechanisms that drive cancers and to target them with a new generation of treatments.
Protein structure of CRBN-dBET6-BRD4

Centre for Protein Degradation

The Centre for Protein Degradation is a virtual centre coordinating all aspects of molecularly driven protein degradation, from concept to clinic, both within and beyond the ICR.
Outside view of ICR building

Centre for Target Validation

The Centre for Target Validation (CTV) is a multidisciplinary and collaborative research centre that streamlines the connection between cancer science and drug discovery at the ICR.

Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit

The ICR Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU) leads the design, conduct and analysis of phase II and III national and international cancer clinical trials. Our findings directly influence clinical practice within the NHS and worldwide.

Tablets of abiraterone acetate, a drug discovered and developed at the ICR

Drug Development Unit

The Drug Development Unit was opened in February 2005 as a joint unit of the ICR and The Royal Marsden. In 2011, at the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network quinquennial review, the unit was given a rating of ‘outstanding’ for past work and future plans.
An MRI scanner at the Royal Marsden Hospital

Joint Department of Physics

The Joint Department of Physics conducts and translates research and development of medical physics into clinical practice. It is a collaboration of academic and clinical staff from the ICR and The Royal Marsden.
Pathology slides (Jan Chlebik for the ICR, 2011)

Joint Integrated Pathology Unit

Our pioneering research into diagnostics combines the power of digital pathology and artificial intelligence.
Liver Metastasis in Kaposi Sarcoma Mouse Model by Anthony B. Eason

Joint Sarcoma Research Centre

Our virtual research centre, a collaboration between The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, has been driving pioneering research for innovative treatments for sarcomas since our launch in January 2019.
Lab - View of a lab with scientists working

Paediatric Oncology Experimental Medicine

Our Centre's goal is to develop novel treatments and diagnostic tests, and deliver changes in clinical practice, for children with cancer. We aim to do this through innovative clinical trials that are driven by our scientific understanding of children’s cancer mechanism.
Radiotherapy machine at The Royal Marsden Hospital

Radiation Research Centre of Excellence

The Centre brings together world-leading experts in radiotherapy, immunotherapy, cancer biology and targeted drug treatment to collaborate on new forms of combination treatment.

Our strategic collaborations

The ICR has developed strategic collaborations with several major partners, with the aim of sharing expertise and resources to deliver world-class research that can rapidly benefit patients.
futuristic light through a fountain 610x490

The Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Centre

The ICR and Imperial College London are working together to open up new frontiers in cancer research.

Convergence Science Centre

 

Split image of Sir Richard Doll building in Sutton and Imperial College building in South Kensington 547x410

 

The Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit (CEPRU)

CEPRU is a joint initiative between The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Imperial College London.

CEPRU

Community Plaza - The London Cancer Hub

 
The London Cancer Hub


The London Cancer Hub is a collaboration between the ICR and the London Borough of Sutton, with the support of The Royal Marsden and the Greater London Authority. It aims to create more than 13,000 jobs and will will enhance the discovery of new cancer treatments.

London Cancer Hub

Logo for the Cancer Research UK Children's Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence at the ICR and University of Cambridge.

CRUK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence

A joint initiative led by the ICR and the University of Cambridge, this centre brings together world experts in paediatric brain tumour research and drug discovery.

Children’s Brain Tumour Centre

 

Split image of Sir Richard Doll building in Sutton and Imperial College building in South Kensington 547x410

 

The Generations Study

The Generations Study is a longitudinal cohort study established in 2004 and involving 110,000 adult women living across the UK. The cohort collects extensive high-quality data to study the continuum of breast cancer, from its causes to outcomes. Through this research we are learning how to prevent breast cancer, detect it early and improve quality of life and survival after diagnosis.

The Generations Study