About us

With one in two people predicted to get cancer in their lifetime, cancer is internationally agreed as one of the challenges of our time. Within the UK, cancer incidence in Liverpool is higher than in most comparable cities.

The Liverpool Cancer Research Institute (LCRI), builds on the success of previous strategic cancer research initiatives in the region, and aims to further consolidate the existing strengths in biomedical and translational cancer research in Liverpool, grow its capability and accelerate the translation of research into improved patient outcomes.

Key aims:

• Create the optimal environment for a thriving integrated academic/clinical cancer research community, collaborating across all faculties of the University covering the spectrum of biomedical and translational research 
• Support the development of research leaders and teams from all relevant disciplines to take forward strategic cancer research programmes in the region 
• Ensure research and innovation programmes remain relevant through the development of strong patient and public involvement by adopting a patient centred approach and proactive stakeholder engagement.

At the heart of the endeavour is a three-way partnership between the region’s three biggest stakeholders in cancer research, namely the University of Liverpool (UoL), The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust (CCC) and North West Cancer Research (NWCR), working alongside Liverpool Health Partners.

An inclusive research framework

The ultimate goal of our research is to generate the knowledge that will translate to patient benefit and improve clinical practice.

LCRI functions as a translational research engine in which clinical themes provide a bi-directional conduit linking fundamental science, experimental medicine and clinical research. In this way, the LCRI drives and facilitates the translation of scientific discoveries into new tests and treatments (forward translation), whilst at the same time generating clinical questions and patient samples to steer and facilitate fundamental research (reverse translation).

The LCRI encompasses all cancer research activity with UoL and all translational research in CCC. Within this inclusive framework, several translational research epicentres have been identified by virtue of their established critical mass and/or strategic importance to the partner organisations. These include the CRUK/NIHR Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, the Liverpool Head and Neck Centre, hepato-pancreato-biliary cancer, haemato-oncology, lung cancer and ocular oncology.

Other tumour sites such as breast, colorectal and brain provide additional translational research activity and capability with potential for further development. Areas of strength in cross-cutting science include early cancer detection / diagnosis, molecular mechanisms of cancer progression, tumour microenvironment / immuno-oncology, and cancer pharmacology / therapy failure.

LCRI - a partnership within the Liverpool Academic Health Science System

Strategic alignment between the UoL, CCC and NWCR ensures that available resources and expertise are optimally harnessed to support LCRI objectives, while connectivity with the wider local and regional health and biomedical research ecosystem is provided by:  

• The involvement of LHP – a local partnership of 8 NHS Trusts and 4 Higher Education Institutions 
• The footprint of CCC – provides regional cancer services to the whole of Cheshire and Merseyside 
• The footprint of NWCR –funds research across the north west of England and North Wales 
• Close links with the Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance and NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast
  

The LCRI Leadership Team 

The LCRI Leadership Team has been established as a permanent and formal management team specifically to oversee the development and implementation of the cancer research and innovation strategy for LCRI. 

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