Presentation of the Centre

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist cancer centre treating over 60,000 patients a year.
We were the first hospital in the UK to be invited to join the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes in 2008 and the first UK organisation to be accredited as a Comprehensive Cancer Centre, making us one of 34 centres to have this prestigious status in Europe.

Main Research Activities

The Christie is one of Europe’s biggest experimental cancer medicine centres, and an international leader in cancer research and innovation.
The Christie is part of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre working with The University of Manchester and Cancer Research UK. We are also one of seven partners in the Manchester Academic Health Sciences Research Centre.
The Christie’s NIHR Clinical Research Facility is a large, high quality, dedicated clinical research environment where our patients can participate in complex and early phase clinical trials. Around 850 clinical trials may be taking place at any one time.
In 2024, The Christie opened the door to its new research facility, the Paterson Building - one of the world’s leading cancer research centres. Together, 700 experts are working to double the number of people on clinical trials by 2030 and improve the lives of people with cancer from across the North West and beyond.

Core Facilities

• Radiotherapy, in one of the world’s largest radiotherapy departments and at our radiotherapy centres in Oldham, Salford and Macclesfield
• A national service for proton beam therapy as one of only two treatment centres in the UK
• Chemotherapy, through the largest chemotherapy unit in the UK, as well as via 10 other sites and in patients’ homes
• Specialist surgery for complex and rare cancers
• A range of support and diagnostic services

Education

The Christie School of Oncology delivers education to all grades of staff involved in cancer care delivered through multi-professional and interdisciplinary approaches. In developing programmes of activity, The Christie has access to and the support of some of the country’s leading experts in cancer care, treatment, and services.

Presentation of the Centre

We unite over 1,200 world-leading scientists, clinicians, nurses, healthcare professionals and industry partners around a common mission to end death and disease caused by cancer through research, treatment, and education. The CRUK Cambridge Centre is a partnership between CRUK, the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke’s Hospital). We also collaborate with Royal Papworth Hospital. By facilitating multidisciplinary collaborations and driving the translation of new scientific discoveries into clinical applications, we enable patients to benefit from the latest innovations in cancer science. As a Centre we also fund a wide variety of research. We involve patients and the public at all stages of our work from advising our strategy, to shaping our research and clinical trial proposals, to enrolling on our clinical trials and research studies.

Main Research Activities

Our research is focused on detecting cancer at its earliest stage and treating it more precisely to improve patient outcomes. We are bringing together multiple, diverse patient data sets and using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse treatment response in real-time. This integrated approach will allow us to make the best clinically informed decisions and to tailor therapy to each patient.

Core Facilities

In partnership with Addenbrooke’s and the University of Cambridge we are developing the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (expected opening 2029) connecting outstanding clinical expertise with world-class science and commercial innovation to personalise treatments and pioneer new care pathways. We are creating a template for embedding early diagnosis and personalised treatment of cancer into health systems around the world.

Education

Our innovative training for graduate students at the University of Cambridge includes fundamental cancer biology, lab skills and clinical placements to help inform their future research.

Presentation of the Centre

Velindre Cancer Service delivers specialist, non-surgical cancer services for Wales (mostly in the Southeast), using a hub and spoke model and provides a specialist treatment, teaching, research and development centre for non-surgical oncology. For our national services, we serve a population of 3.3 million, with our local population covering 1.5 million, and treat patients with chemotherapy, Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatments (SACTs), radiotherapy and related treatments, together with caring for patients with specialist, acute and palliative care needs.

Main Research Activities

Velindre University NHS Trust is recognised for excellence in oncology research, delivering high-quality clinical trials and translational studies that directly improve patient care. Our research portfolio spans the full spectrum of cancer studies, including:

Early-phase and late-phase cancer trials – providing patients with access to cutting-edge systemic anticancer therapies (SACT), advanced radiotherapy techniques, and novel biological and immunotherapy agents.

Radiotherapy research – with dedicated adaptive and stereotactic radiotherapy supported by medical physics, research radiographers, and advanced treatment planning teams.

Palliative and supportive care research – addressing quality of life, symptom management, survivorship, and patient-centred research and care.

Translational and precision medicine – through our partnership with Cardiff University and Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, in the Cardiff Cancer Research Partnership, the Trust has access to additional research and acute patient care facilities for complex, higher-risk trials, as well as to translational research laboratories and other academic research facilities.

Commercial and noncommercial research – collaborating with global pharmaceutical companies, academic groups, and national funders to deliver a balanced portfolio that enhances sustainability.

One Wales delivery model – as part of the Health and Care Research Wales establishment, the Trust contributes to the "One Wales" approach enabling coordinated study set-up and collective national delivery to meet recruitment targets across multiple sites.

Velindre’s Research Service provides strategic sponsorship, governance, and facilitation for Trust-sponsored and hosted studies, driving continuous improvement in compliance, quality, and efficiency. Our integrated approach ensures patients in Wales benefit from rapid access to new therapies while reinforcing Velindre’s reputation as a trusted research partner.

Core Facilities

Velindre University NHS Trust operates a unique combination of clinical and research infrastructure that underpins our role as a national leader in cancer and blood services:

Clinical Facilities
A specialist, non-surgical cancer service providing systemic anti-cancer therapy, advanced radiotherapy (operating 10 linacs), palliative and supportive care. The Trust is a hub for oncology research delivery, with embedded multidisciplinary teams, dedicated research radiographers, and access to advanced imaging and treatment technologies.

Research Infrastructure

Research Service and Clinical Research Treatment Unit (CRTU) – Dedicated research delivery teams of research nurses and research facilitation officers, working with clinical investigators, coordinating a wide portfolio of cancer trials with support by pharmacy, radiotherapy, radiology, medical physics, and other support services. The Research Service manages early- and late-phase trials, including radiotherapy and ATMP (advanced therapy medicinal product) protocols.

Cardiff Cancer Research Partnership (with Cardiff University and Cardiff & Vale UHB) – Access to translational research laboratories, biobanking, genomics, and experimental medicine facilities. This partnership expands Velindre’s capacity for high-risk, complex clinical trials and strengthens the integration of laboratory discovery with patient care.

National and regional collaborations – embedded within Health and Care Research Wales infrastructure and collaborating with the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) provides strategic links to research networks.

Together, these facilities ensure Velindre is equipped to deliver research, support rapid adoption of new treatments, and act as a catalyst for innovation in cancer care across Wales and beyond.

Education

Velindre University NHS Trust has a comprehensive educational remit, extending across the cancer and blood services workforce. Its provision spans all levels of training including undergraduate and postgraduate and is deliberately multiprofessional, reflecting the complexity of modern cancer care.

Velindre University NHS Trust has established the Velindre Oncology Academy, that provides specialist accredited non-surgical oncology training up to Masters level for NHS Wales and wider. The academy provides comprehensive training programmes for all disciplines of staff face to face, local bespoke, virtual and hybrid as well as delivering joint training programmes with University partners.

The Academy’s accreditation partner is the University of Wales, Trinity St. Davids.