India and United Kingdom today launched a British Pounds 10 million (current value of Rs. 93 crore) collaborative research programme that will address issues of affordability, prevention and care of cancer by bringing together Indian and UK experts across clinical research.

The five year initiative will be funded by India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and UK’s Cancer Research UK (CRUK) programme. DBT and CRUK will invest equally at UK Pounds 5 million each.

DBT Secretary, Renu Swarup and CRUK Chair, Prof Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the partnership. The ceremony was followed by an Inaugural Researchers’ Summit. The three day summit is being attended by scientists, researchers, epidemiologists, clinicians, public health professionals and representatives of the industry.

" Cancer is a global epidemic that required radically new approaches through inter-disciplinary and multi-national efforts " : Dr. Swarup expressed

Noting that Cancer is a global epidemic that required radically new approaches through inter-disciplinary and multi-national efforts, Dr. Swarup expressed the hope that the new Initiative will provide a catalysing platform for scientists and researchers in UK and India to jointly create solutions for affordable cancer care that improve cancer outcomes around the globe.

Nick Grant, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of international partnerships, said: “The partnership provides will seek to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer with a focus on affordable approaches. It has potential for global impact and by working across borders.”

The research phases of the Initiative will be overseen by a board of advisors comprising five cancer experts each from India and UK. Prof. David Hunter of the University of Oxford and Dr. C.S. Pramesh of the Tata Memorial Hospital will serve respectively as Chair and Co-chair of the India-UK Cancer Research Initiative’s Advisory Panel. India Science Wire