About Us

Transforming Research. Transforming Lives.

Together, we will develop and deliver breakthrough medicines and treatments to achieve a world where people are free from the impact of prostate cancer.

It is only through research that we can build a future in which no family will have to fear losing a loved one to prostate cancer. But here at Prostate Cancer Research we’re not just working to add years to life; we’re also about adding life to years. Prostate cancer and the way it is currently treated brings physical and emotional side effects for the patient, their family and community, cuts too many lives short, and steals away the time that families should be able to spend together and enjoy.

Patient focus is in our DNA. Through patient panels, and meetings with the scientists, we are able to fill the gaps and fund both cutting-edge and relevant research that will have a direct impact on patients. In the last four years our team has expanded the amount of research we fund by four times, opened our new translational arm to help more promising treatments get from lab to patient, and have opened grant calls based on patient feed back, including bone metastasis and racial inequalities.

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The research PCR is doing has got to have more impact per pound than any other charity in the world, and we appreciate how they bring us in – we’re not just a number in a big pond.
Aaron McSkimming
Fundraises for PCR in honour of his father, Alexander McSkimming

Our Research

Over the past four years, we have grown our research activities five-fold, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, and launched our translational arm.

Cancer is a complex disease and we will always need a menu of different options to treat it, so that individuals can choose the right option for them. Our research reflects this: we take a wide variety of approaches, from improving current therapies to developing new ones, to making new discoveries about the fundamental biology of the disease and the supports that would help more men access the treatment and care they need, and stick to it.

Proven Connect is the translational research arm of Prostate Cancer Research (PCR), combining seed funding, scientific expertise, patient voice and commercial experience to partner with a portfolio of promising companies that could impact prostate cancer, co-investing with venture capital funders and impact investors and connecting these companies to the resources and expert support they need to succeed.

Our History and Vision

Prostate Cancer Research was originally founded by Professor John Masters, a scientist who was passionate about finding new treatments for prostate cancer.

Since then, we have continued to strive forward to build a future where people are free from the impact of prostate cancer.

Our team has expanded the amount of research we fund five times over in four years, been shortlisted for an impact prize, and identified and targeted specific unmet needs in the prostate cancer ecosystem, such as racial inequalities and bone metastasis.

Together with people affected by prostate cancer, we have developed a number of patient projects. From building a new platform to help patients make better choices to setting up a first-of-its-kind prostate cancer registry in the UK.

How We Work

Our Research Strategy is based on the core values of: funding innovative and ambitious (or bold, pioneering) research; collaboration; promoting the careers of young scientists; and funding research into accessible treatments which will reduce the costs and burden on the NHS.

When selecting projects to fund, we use the expertise of our internal research team and our Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure a project is scientifically world-class. We use our Patient Voice Groups to ensure a project is relevant to people with prostate cancer. We encourage and support innovation with the understanding that the more innovative something is, the more risk comes with it.

Once we make an award to a scientist, the relationship doesn’t stop. We monitor and evaluate that project’s performance the whole way. We help our researchers maximise their impact by connecting them with patients, so that they gain a deeper understanding of patient challenges. We help our scientists build new collaborations and partnerships with other scientists and industry, so they can share ideas, resources, and expertise.

Working in this way gives us the best chance of saving and improving lives.

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There is no shortage of talented scientists exploring innovative methods to discover better treatments and diagnostics, as demonstrated by the fact we received applications for £15m of funding from leading institutions around the UK. However, research into prostate cancer in the UK continues to be underfunded. To address this major issue, there is an urgent need to work together with Government, commercial partners, private individuals and other charities in order to fund more research and give scientists the support they need to make the necessary breakthroughs.
Matthew Ellis
Chairman of PCR