About Cancer Research

Cancer research can span from cancer prevention to laboratory research, from clinical trials to quality-of-life research for survivors.

We fund across the range of research areas in line with our mission to ensure fewer people get cancer and those that do have better outcomes.

Why cancer research is important

Cancer incidence is rising in Ireland and worldwide. It is expected that the number of cancer cases in Ireland will double in the next ten years (from the National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cancer Projections 2005-2035). Cancer research is crucial to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of these cancers.

While much of our cancer research will benefit the next generation of cancer patients, research is also extremely important for cancer patients being treated in Ireland today.

Studies have shown that cancer patients treated at research intensive hospitals have better outcomes than those treated in hospitals with little or no research activity (from Dubois et al., Int J Gynecol Cancer 2005, 15, 183–191).

Our vision for research is that cancer research will be at the heart of cancer care. This will ensure that patients diagnosed with cancer in Ireland will have access to the most cutting edge treatments and the best possible care.

Cancer Research Areas

Basic laboratory research - unravelling how normal cells in the body work, and finding out how cancer cells differ from normal cells. Basic research can involve the study of organisms that are less complex than humans such as worms or zebrafish. It can also involve models of cancer such as cancer cells that are grown in the laboratory or mice or rats.

Translational research: bringing basic research into the clinic and translating the results from the clinic back in the laboratory. Involves the use of patient samples.

Clinical research: research that involves patients directly. Clinical research may involve testing a new diagnostic tool, surgical procedures, new treatments or new combinations of existing treatments.