You can read the latest Annual Report from Clatterbridge’s Research and Innovation department detailing the progress in CCC becoming a word-class cancer research centre.
The report has been approved by the Trust Board and is now published on the CCC website.
The report has been prepared by Dr Gillian Heap, Director of Research & Innovation Operations; Professor Christian Ottensmeier, Director of Clinical Research; Dr Seamus Coyle, Clinical Lead for Innovation and Dr Sheena Khanduri, Medical Director.
You can view it on this link here and read the introduction below:
Research and Innovation (R&I) at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust (CCC) has had another great year during 2022/23.
This report details the notable successes which have been achieved. R&I has recovered well after the national pause in cancer research in an NHS setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are continuing to implement the key aims of the Trust’s Research Strategy (2021-26) and are making great strides in achieving its vision to strengthen links and collaborations through our flagship hospital in Liverpool – within the city’s Knowledge Quarter – and academic partners, including the University of Liverpool, other NHS organisations and stakeholders, which will ultimately improve the treatment and care of cancer patients.
In furthering this vision, we are delighted to report that CCC is now an associate partner with the Royal Marsden in gaining Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) status and we also retained CRUK Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) status for the next five years.
These two national funding awards, in combination with our collaboration with the Liverpool Clinical Research Facility (CRF), are remarkable achievements as this is the first time that CCC has held such prestigious awards, and it is especially encouraging as they were gained within a highly competitive environment nationally.
These collaborations mean that CCC can now expand its early phase trials portfolio, bringing novel therapeutics to our patients and establishing CCC on a national platform as leaders in the key themes within the BRC and ECMC, notably in the cancer vaccine field.
As one of the most important centres nationally for cancer vaccine research, we have expanded our clinical trials in this pioneering treatment during 2022/23, with a number of important UK-first studies opening here and being led by researchers at CCC.
We have also continued to expand the diversification of the research portfolio in terms of translational, real world trials and qualitative studies – including opening our first international investigator-led research study – bringing a different dimension to the scope of the studies we carry out at CCC.
Our focus and reputation for always enhancing services for the benefit of patients is another key driver within the Trust’s Research Strategy and we continue to improve choices, care, experience and outcomes for patients through cutting-edge research.
In striving to achieve this, we have embedded our new Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool into the clinical research environment, with the support of the hospital’s wider clinical teams.
The unit has allowed us to open more important early phase clinical trials at Clatterbridge and given our patients an enhanced experience while they participate in them.
Our Biobank has also seen a rapid strengthening in its ability to collect and store important material to enhance our own clinical research trials and to provide a valuable biobanking service to other institutions and research teams across the sub-region. In the area of innovation, CCC’s Innovation Strategy (2023-25) was launched, giving strategic direction to our aim of solidifying a culture of enterprise within the Trust’s workforce.
In the area of innovation, CCC’s Innovation Strategy (2023-25) was launched, giving strategic direction to our aim of solidifying a culture of enterprise within the Trust’s workforce.The Strategy aims to generate fresh ideas, novel solutions and new ways of working which will drive the ultimate aim of R&I – better outcomes for patients.
