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institutionsInstitution
Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre / CRUK Cambridge Institute
The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre unites the university, Addenbrooke's and the CRUK Cambridge Institute; its landmark work includes METABRIC breast cancer genomics, the circulating tumour DNA methods behind Inivata, and the Cytosponge test for oesophageal cancer.
Also called: Addenbrooke's HospitalCambridge University HospitalsLi Ka Shing Centre
Overview
The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre brings together the University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals (Addenbrooke's) and the CRUK Cambridge Institute in the Li Ka Shing Centre, opened in 2007. Landmark work includes Carlos Caldas's METABRIC breast cancer genomics, Nitzan Rosenfeld's circulating tumour DNA methods that spun out Inivata, Rebecca Fitzgerald's Cytosponge test for Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal cancer, Greg Hannon's IMAXT spatial tumour mapping, and Richard Gilbertson's paediatric brain tumour research; Cambridge chemists Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman invented the Solexa sequencing chemistry now sold by Illumina. A dedicated Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is planned on the Biomedical Campus. Patients have access to a large early-phase unit, whole-genome sequencing through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and the Wellcome Sanger Institute's neighbouring genomics resources.
Location
Cambridge, GB
Type
cancer center · University of Cambridge
Website
Newsweek 2026 oncology rank
Not in top 300 listing used
OnCo score
#82 · 42 points (0 Newsweek + 0 NCI + 42 from 21 linked objects) · ranking
- Breast cancer genomics (METABRIC)
- Liquid biopsy and ctDNA
- Early detection (Cytosponge)
- Spatial tumour mapping (IMAXT)
- Paediatric brain tumours
Carlos Caldas
Professor of Cancer Medicine, University of Cambridge; Senior Group Leader, CRUK Cambridge Institute
Breast cancer genomicsIntegrative clustersPatient-derived xenografts
Led METABRIC, which used 2,000 tumours to define ten genomic subtypes of breast cancer and their long-term outcomes.
Charlotte E. Coles
Professor of Breast Cancer Clinical Oncology, University of Cambridge; Consultant, Addenbrooke's Hospital
Breast radiotherapyPartial breast irradiationHypofractionation
Led IMPORT LOW, which showed partial-breast radiotherapy is as effective as whole-breast treatment with fewer side effects.
Helena Earl
Emeritus Professor of Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Cambridge
HER2-positive breast cancerTreatment de-escalationNeoadjuvant trials
Led PERSEPHONE, which showed six months of trastuzumab is nearly as good as twelve for most patients.
Hugo Ford
Representative of Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre / CRUK Cambridge Institute to the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes
Cancer centre representation (OECI)
Hugo Ford represents Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre / CRUK Cambridge Institute in the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, which lists the centre among its members in United Kingdom.
James Brenton
Interim Deputy Director
Ovarian cancerCancer genomicsCirculating tumour DNA
Cambridge medical oncologist and Interim Deputy Director of the CRUK Cambridge Institute, a leader in ovarian cancer genomics and ctDNA monitoring.
Jason Carroll
Interim Director
Breast cancerOestrogen receptor biologyTranscriptional regulation
Molecular oncologist and Interim Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, known for mapping how the oestrogen receptor drives breast cancer.
Jean Abraham
Professor of Precision Breast Cancer Medicine and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology, University of Cambridge; Director, Precision Breast Cancer Institute; Consultant, Addenbrooke's Hospital
Triple-negative breast cancerHereditary (BRCA) breast cancerNeoadjuvant trials
Chief investigator of PARTNER, the UK trial of neoadjuvant olaparib with platinum chemotherapy in triple-negative and BRCA-associated breast cancer, run from Addenbrooke's across 23 NHS sites (30 on the ClinicalTrials.gov record).
Li Ka-shing
Hong Kong entrepreneur whose foundation funded free hospice care for poor cancer patients and the building that houses the CRUK Cambridge Institute
Hospice and palliative careMedical education in ChinaCancer research buildings
Since 1980 he has put more than HK$30 billion into his foundation; its Heart of Gold programme gave free hospice care to tens of thousands of poor terminal cancer patients, and its gift built the Cambridge centre that houses Cancer Research UK's institute there.
Nitzan Rosenfeld
Professor of Cancer Genomics, Barts Cancer Institute; former Senior Group Leader, CRUK Cambridge Institute
Circulating tumour DNALiquid biopsy methodsCancer genomics
Showed that whole-exome sequencing of blood can track how a cancer evolves, and co-founded Inivata.
Rebecca C. Fitzgerald
Director, Early Cancer Institute, University of Cambridge; Professor of Cancer Prevention
Oesophageal cancer early detectionBarrett's oesophagusNon-endoscopic sampling
Invented the Cytosponge, a swallowable sponge-on-a-string that finds Barrett's oesophagus without endoscopy.
Serena Nik-Zainal
Professor of Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Cambridge; Honorary Consultant in Clinical Genetics
Mutational signaturesWhole-genome sequencingBreast cancer genomics
Deciphered the mutational signatures written in cancer genomes and turned them into clinical tests like HRDetect.
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