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.

Together, we will develop and deliver breakthrough medicines and treatments. We prioritise maintaining a deep understanding of the needs and perspectives of patients and their families and involve them directly in our decision-making to guarantee that everything we do is relevant to the people it matters to – families affected by prostate cancer.

Our world-class scientists are dedicated to creating brand new prostate cancer treatments with the potential to reduce the side effects, dramatically cut the cost of treatment and ultimately to change the outcome. If we act now to support the science which can transform research, we will transform the lives of families affected by prostate cancer.

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Only by finding and funding exceptional scientists with novel ideas can we expect to make real differences to the lives of patients. Our single long term aim is for all people with Prostate Cancer to receive personalised effective care that enables them to live full and healthy lives.
Oliver Kemp
CEO of PCR

Our History and Vision

The Prostate Cancer Research Centre (PCRC) was founded in 1988 by Professor John Masters, a scientist who was passionate about finding new treatments for prostate cancer.

John Masters was painfully aware of the lack of funding into advanced prostate cancer. He saw a growing need for new treatments as the population of the UK was ageing and more and more men received a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer.

Today, we are called Prostate Cancer Research, because although our original focus on scientific research and patient focus is still in our DNA, we are no longer a centre. Thanks to our valued supporters we are now funding more world-class research than ever before, at locations across 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.

The locations of our research projects, found across the UK

Our Research

In 2019, we increased our number of grants by 175% and more than doubled our grant expenditure. In 2020, we opened a new grant call looking for more projects, and supported our scientists to safely keep working during lockdown.

At Prostate Cancer Research, we have a diverse portfolio of projects across some of the UK’s leading institutions in prostate cancer, ranging from early-stage biological insights to drug development. Our academic research is focused on two core themes:

Improving the classifications of advanced prostate cancer and our ability to predict which treatments will work best for individual patients based on their particular prostate cancer subtype.
Discovering new treatments for advanced prostate cancer by investigating how to contain cancerous cells within the prostate and prevent it from becoming advanced, and finding therapies for when the disease has become advanced.

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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