Download our Research Strategy here

The Facts


  • 300,000 men die from prostate cancer across the world, every year
  • 56,000 men diagnosed in the UK in 2018
  • 5,000 of these were under 60 years old
  • 12,000 of these are likely to die from prostate cancer
  • Only 5% of all cancer research spend goes on prostate cancer research in the UK

6 Strategic Goals

2020-23


This three-year strategic plan reaffirms PCR’s overarching vision and sets out six core strategic goals that will guide the decisions we make towards securing a better future for men and families affected by prostate cancer.

Why Us?

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and recently became the most commonly diagnosed cancer in England.


We urgently need to develop new and effective treatments for advanced prostate cancer. It is in the late stages of the disease that prostate cancer kills, yet, surprisingly we are often still using treatments for late stage prostate cancer that are toxic and that prolong life by only a few months.

The Covid-19 pandemic means funding for medical research has taken a big hit, potentially setting back research.

This is where PCR comes in. With your help, we are here to invest now in the science, research and medical breakthroughs of the future.

What we have achieved so far

PCR has recently embarked on a bold new chapter.


We have increased income by 46% in the last two years, doubled our grant expenditure and increased the number of projects we fund by 175%. We are not just scaling up the quantity of the research we fund; we are seed-funding scientists with great ideas to accelerate their progress.

Our focus is on taking research from bench to bedside. In order to achieve this:

  • We help our researchers connect with patients so that they have a deeper understanding of patient’s needs and challenges
  • We help scientists build new collaborations and partnerships with other scientists
  • We monitor and evaluate our impact so that we ensure the effectiveness of our research and continue to improve our work in the future

Only by working in this way do we have a good chance of saving and improving lives.

Supporting our scientists through Covid-19


At PCR, we have worked hard to support our scientists through lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic. We all knew carrying on with prostate cancer research is important, but so is the welfare of our funded scientists. Over the summer, they safely returned to their labs. We continue to encourage our researchers to contact us with any questions, concerns, or should circumstances change during this period.

We are pleased to say all of our projects are ongoing safely, without having to compromise our researchers health.

Dr Christine Galustian’s research has reduced tumour growth in model organisms by up to 60% by modifying a protein and injecting into tumours.


In addition, Dr Galustian’s team has found that using the modified protein in combination with another cancer drug it significantly increases the potency of the treatment, dramatically reducing tumour growth by up to 100%.

Our seven research projects from our 2019 Grant Call are working to create a future in which prostate cancer treatment is tailored to the type of prostate cancer a man has – the same strategy which revolutionised the treatment of breast cancer. The scientists are taking different approaches towards this common aim: from using analytics and AI to putting prostate cancer into different groups depending on how individual cancers behave; using new radiation tools to hunt out cancer, including when it has spread to other parts of the body; looking at whether genetic changes can tell doctors which drug will work best for which patient; shutting down resistance to cancer drugs by blocking cancer-causing proteins in different ways.

Three of our projects that started this year are pilot awards, which represent a brand new seed-funding approach. We saw a need to inject a small amount of funds into highly risk-versus-reward projects so that they may show the idea to be solid enough for funders to feel confident about making a larger long-term award.

 

 

 

 

Our Values


Innovation

We believe in ‘innovation’ as a mindset. We always start off our work with an open mind and are not afraid to challenge conventional views to drive innovation. We actively seek out and support good ideas from our staff and volunteers and scientists. That’s why PCR believes in investing in research that will yield long-term impact in quality of life for patients.

Collaboration

Through collaboration, we maximise our impact. We believe that the best results stem from bringing in a mix of perspectives, talents and experiences. Our ambition is to leverage the combined expertise of leading scientists for the greater good. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach will benefit all parties involved and ultimately advance cancer research.

Accountability

We promote accountability and collective responsibility. We want our team to feel they can make decisions that will maximise our impact. Likewise, our drive for continuous improvement goes hand in hand with our willingness to take collective responsibility for our own actions and with our commitment to transparency. This also includes own up to our failures and correcting them wherever possible.

Empathy

It is personal connections that bring our work to life. Our work starts and ends with people. We put patients first by listening to what matters to them. We talk in simple terms and endeavour to make science accessible to all. We believe in compassion and recognise that empathy goes a long way towards improving the quality of life of people with cancer.

“I very much appreciate your understanding of how difficult it is, especially for early career researchers like me, to gather sufficient preliminary data for such big grant applications.”

Dr Jorge de la Rosa
Recipient of a 2019 Pilot Award

We believe in a brighter future for prostate cancer patients and are setting our sights on harnessing the power of innovation. We will work relentlessly alongside scientists to push back the boundaries of our understanding of this disease and to develop cancer treatments that will lead to men living longer and healthier lives.

By funding innovative and collaborative research projects, we can help secure a better future for cancer patients and their families. As a research-driven organisation, our success will ultimately be measured by the extent to which our research can improve the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.

 

 

“It is a privilege to be involved in the selection process for the funding of new projects. For men like me and for our nearest and dearest, it is essential that scientists are able to carry out the work of finding new ways to treat this potentially devastating disease. Treatments for prostate cancer have advanced at a phenomenal rate over the last few years.”

Dr David Matheson
PCR Patient Representative

Grant Call


Send an email to [email protected] to receive details about our next grant call

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Patient Voice


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