India-UK Cancer Research Initiative

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Cancer Research Initiative, “Affordable Approaches to Cancer” on 14^th November 2018 during the Inaugural Researcher’s Summit held from 14^th – 16^th November 2018 in New Delhi. The broad aim of the research initiative is to support high quality research to deliver innovative and translatable outputs that accelerate progress against cancer outcomes in both the countries, and which also have the potential to have major global impact.

Under the initiative, the core challenges have been identified and seven seed grants have been awarded. The seven seed grants awarded are to work on affordable approaches to improve early diagnosis of symptomatic cancers; affordable screening tools to improve early detection of cancer; risk factors to better understand regional variations in incidence, enabling new approaches to cancer prevention; computational approaches that can reduce the cost of cancer care delivery; affordability of effective cancer treatments; affordable screening tools to improve early detection of cancer; and affordability of effective cancer treatments.

The institutions involved from the Indian side include – Cachar Cancer Hospital &Research Centre; RTI International; Translational Health Science Technology Institute; Tata Memorial Hospital; All India Institute for Medical Sciences; Cochin Cancer Research Centre; Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute.

The investment thus far by both the countries as matching grant for supporting 7 seed grants is ₹ 1.86 Cr.

This information was given by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Friday.