November Research News
Welcome to the November edition of Research News!
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TRANSFORM screening trial open - first invitation letters sent!
We're excited to announce that our £42 million prostate cancer screening trial - TRANSFORM - has now opened and the first invitation letters were sent to men on 21 November.
Those recruited in the coming weeks will form part of the initial 16,000 men taking part in Stage One, which will test four of the most promising screening strategies, including PSA blood tests, polygenic risk scores and fast MRI scans. The most effective strategy, or strategies, will then be tested in a much larger group of up to 300,000 men.
The trial will be delivered in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and with thanks to the generous support of several other founding partners and major donors.
As part of the ambitious programme, a new prostate cancer research resource will be formed. Known as TRANSFORM Discovery, it will encompass high-resolution imaging scans, genetic data, and clinical information from TRANSFORM participants who have provided consent. This will accelerate the development and clinical translation of new biomarkers at a scale and pace not seen before.
Read more about TRANSFORM Discovery using the link below, or connect directly with the researchers at [email protected].
UK Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Strategy Group
Following the winding down of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), the NCRI Prostate Group has been re-established as the UK Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Strategy Group (CRSG).
The aim of the group is to identify research gaps of importance to men, to help shape the national clinical research landscape, and strengthen clinical research applications by providing expert guidance and advice early in study design and development.
We’re recruiting new members and early career observers to join the UK Prostate Cancer CRSG. We’re seeking expertise in pathology, primary care, radiology, and research nursing, and particularly welcome junior consultants. Two early career researcher/trainee observer roles are also open for applications. The deadline to apply for all roles is 4pm, Friday 16 January.
We’re also inviting proposals to be discussed at our next meeting on Friday 17 April 2026. We welcome proposals for clinical trials, and will also consider translational or biomarker research with a clear clinical line of sight. Submissions focused solely on basic science are not within scope. The deadline for submissions is 4pm, Friday 13 February.
Thank you to Professor Fran Balkwill
This month sees our fantastic Committee Chair, Professor Fran Balkwill, step down from the role after four years at the helm. Professor Balkwill has expertly steered our funding Committees, helping us to fund nearly £38M of research in that time. We’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you from all of us for all your hard work over the last four years!
Genomics and prostate cancer – the latest in patient care
The Genomics and prostate cancer – the latest in patient care meeting will take place at The Royal Society of Medicine in London on Friday 12 December 2025.
This is a landmark multidisciplinary conference: a joint initiative of Prostate Cancer UK, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, The Institute of Cancer Research, and The Royal Society of Medicine.
This exciting meeting will bring together the country’s leading minds in urology, oncology, nursing, genetics, research, policy, and patient advocacy. With prostate cancer being the UK's most common cancer, your expertise is needed more than ever.
Funding opportunities
Our grant schemes are now all closed, but here are some other funding opportunities you might be interested in:
Our Open Access Scheme for Grant Holders
Don’t forget you can apply for open access fee reimbursement, through our Open Access Scheme, when publishing your Prostate Cancer UK-funded work.
MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowships
The MRC’s Clinical Research Training Fellowships are now open for applications from healthcare professionals who wish to undertake a PhD or reacquire skills after time away from research. Visit the MRC’s website to find out more ahead of the 14 January 2026 deadline.
Cancer Research UK - Clinical Future Leaders Fellowship
Opening on 11 December 2025, this fellowship aims to support clinician scientists transition to research independence and leadership in their field of cancer research. Read more about the scheme on the Cancer Research UK website.
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