AICR Cancer Charity Recognises Scientific Excellence in Scotland
Scientists at the University of Dundee have won Association for International Cancer Research funding totalling £428K from the leading Scottish cancer research charity the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR). The funding has been awarded to investigate possible cures and treatments that may hopefully lead to new anti-cancer drugs and is part of AICR's £4.2 million cancer research package allocated this month.
AICR is a leading funder of high quality scientific research into the causes of cancer - a disease that will affect one in three people in the UK. The cancer charity is unique in that it is the only UK body which funds research into any area of cancer and in any country in the world and is one of the few remaining funding bodies offering three-year grants to which researchers may apply.
Four Dundee scientists are to benefit from the funding. Dr David Meek has won a three year funding package of £110,957 for his study into understanding the complex role of the most important tumour-suppressor gene for human cancers, 'p53'. Dr Inke Nathke will be investigating the different functions of a specific protein in colon cancers with his three year funding award of £127,729. Dr Thomas Friedberg, who was awarded a three year grant of £66,750 will be investigating how particular proteins may be involved in the cause of breast cancer and also how they may inactivate drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer. Professor John Hayes, with his colleague Dr Sam Crouch, won a three year grant of £123,303 for their study into how anti-oxidants present in the food that we eat, activate detoxifying genes which protect cells from cancer.
Today's recipients are all studying at the University of Dundee and were awarded funding by the AICR scientific advisory committee, a team of 15 distinguished international scientists who decide which cancer research projects will be allocated funding based upon the quality of their research proposal. The research being undertaken by scientists in Dundee beat off fierce competition from the scientific community across the world.
The £4.2 million cancer research funding package is split among 38 cancer scientists from around the globe, though scientists researching projects at Scottish institutions currently receive 17% of the international funding awards, underpinning the exceptionally high standard of Scottish scientific cancer research.
Derek Napier, AICR's chief executive said: "Competition for our grants is fierce and the projects that win AICR grants represent the cream of the crop in international scientific research into cancer. The high level of funding in Scotland is entirely due to the excellence of the science being carried out here and AICR is proud of the part it plays in supporting high quality scientific research. AICR's efforts in funding scientific research into the causes of cancer are just one small part of the overall-funding picture. Scientific research is supported by cancer charities throughout the UK, and it is true to say that without them, progress in treating the disease would be almost non-existent."
For further information please contact Gemma Bell or Catherine Graham at Citigate SMARTS on 0131 555 0425. Website: www.aicr.org.uk
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk