- Four projects exploring pioneering techniques – including
artificial intelligence – to tackle cancers with poor survival
rates
- Each team granted £500k to drive forward ambitious plans that
could save more lives
- Announcement comes as Science and Technology addresses top AI
and tech festival
Innovative researchers working to tackle some of the
hardest-to-treat cancers, including through the use of artificial
intelligence (AI), have received a £2m funding boost, Science and
Technology Secretary, , has announced today
(Tuesday 12 September).
Four teams from across the UK will receive £500,000 each to drive
forward high-risk but high-reward projects that could prove key
to curing cancers with poor survival rates, including that of the
brain, lungs and oesophagus.
Among the teams to receive government-backed Medical Research
Council (MRC) funding is King’s College London, to determine how
artificial intelligence could read lung scans and more accurately
predict whether a cancer is resistant to treatment. The data will
then be used to create targeted drugs that selectively kill
treatment-resistant cancer cells.
The investment follows last month’s announcement of £13m towards
research for AI innovation in healthcare and comes
ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary’s address to the
CogX conference in London today, where she will outline the wider
potential for AI to transform the UK’s economy, society and
public services.
Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s speech, Science and
Technology Secretary, , said:
“While pioneering treatments have progressed enormously over the
years thanks to world class researchers, cancer continues to
impact on so many lives – whether through diagnoses or
experiencing the heart-wrenching loss of a loved one.
“By investing in high-risk but high-reward techniques – including
artificial intelligence – we are backing our ambitious, world
class researchers to build on generations of discoveries and give
more people a fighting chance to live long and healthy lives.”
The four projects were selected following a two-day ‘sandpit’ event – an
interactive workshop – to promote new conversations and create
teams of researchers across scientific disciplines from clinical,
biomedical, engineering, physical and data sciences. The teams
co-developed ideas and solutions to advance cancer research
including for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Among the other projects receiving today’s funding is work by
Imperial College London to develop techniques for the precision
removal of brain cancer cells using a laser. The technique could
reduce the impact of treatment on normal cells as well as provide
real-time data on the nature of the cancer, which can then be
used to inform post-operative treatment.
Elsewhere, Cardiff University is exploring the potential for a
cryogel placed at the site of a brain tumour to deliver drugs
directly to the site, in turn overcoming the blood-brain barrier
and reducing the effects of drugs on non-targeted areas.
Meanwhile the University of Manchester and The Christie NHS
Foundation Trust will explore ways to optimise engineered
nanoparticle therapeutics for oesophageal cancer. Researchers
hope to target cells that hinder effectiveness of medicines that
boost the immune system against cancer.
Health and Social Care Secretary, , said:
“Research and technology are crucial in the fight against cancer,
with AI already transforming the way we deliver healthcare in
some settings by diagnosing cancer earlier, meaning people can be
treated more quickly.
“Cancer survival rates are improving and more people are being
seen and treated than ever before.
“We are looking at how new technology can help provide the best
possible treatments for patients and this £2 million investment
will be vital in supporting researchers to understand and treat
those cancers with lower survival rates.”
Dr Megan Dowie, MRC Head of Molecular and Cellular
Medicine:
“We look forward to supporting the teams towards achieving
real-world impacts, both in a clinical setting and the real hope
they may ultimately be able to offer to those suffering from some
of the most challenging cancer diagnoses.
“We were inspired by the success of the sandpit event. The many
new interdisciplinary connections formed over the two-days will
have a lasting legacy of future collaboration of life and
physical sciences researchers. This will help achieve the step
change we need to address hard-to-treat cancers with potential
for translation to other types of cancer too.”
In August, the Technology Secretary visited University College
London (UCL) where she announced £13 million for research that
will deliver cutting-edge AI innovation in healthcare,
with 22 winning university and NHS trust projects stretching from
Edinburgh to Surrey to receive a share.
The boost will support everything from the development of a
semi-autonomous surgical robotics platform for the removal of
tumours, to the ability to predict the likelihood of a person’s
future health problems based on their existing conditions -
showcasing the real-world impact artificial intelligence is
having.
Notes to editors:
- The four projects are led by Tim Witney at Kings College
London; Lauren Ford at Imperial College London; Ben Newland at
Cardiff University and Sara Valpione at the University of
Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
