The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research organisations. Scientists and clinicians at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) are working every day to make a real impact on cancer patients’ lives. Through its unique partnership with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and ‘bench-to-bedside’ approach, the ICR is able to create and deliver results in a way that other institutions cannot. Together the two organisations are rated in the top four centres for cancer research and treatment globally.

The ICR has an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. The ICR is a charity and relies on support from partner organisations, funders and the general public. A member institution of the University of London, it is the UK’s second-top academic institution for research quality, and provides postgraduate higher education of international distinction.

Dr Maggie Cheang, Team Leader in Genomic Analysis (Clinical Trials) at the ICR, said:

“My research focus is on applying machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to big omics datasets from patient samples, and I am passionate about supporting career development as well as equality, diversity and inclusion in research. I am therefore delighted to support this initiative to support health data research students from underrepresented backgrounds.

The student will work on a project to develop a tool that can hopefully help to develop cheaper cancer diagnostic tools for people in developing countries. The project fits well within the remits of the Centre for Global Oncology, where I am Head of Clinical Informatics, and the Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit at the ICR.”