The latest news, stories and exciting findings from across the Oxford cancer research community
Professor Sarah Blagden shares cutting-edge precision prevention research at Oxford in new Channel 4 Documentary
21 November 2025
Over the past year, Professor Blagden has been filming for Cancer Detectives: Finding the Cures, a new three-part documentary series from Channel 4 which follows three scientists on the front lines of cancer research across the UK.
World’s first lung cancer prevention vaccine gets £2 million for clinical trial
17 November 2025
People at high risk of lung cancer will soon be able to receive the first-ever experimental vaccine, 'LungVax', designed to prevent the disease, in a world-first clinical trial. The LungVax vaccine carries a series of genetic instructions which train the immune system to recognise tumour antigens on the surface of abnormal lung cells.
PODCAST: Could vaccinations stop people from getting cancer?
12 November 2025
Professor Sarah Blagden discusses novel research approaches to cancer prevention on the Oxford Sparks podcast.
Oxford joins £15.9m national initiative to transform cancer research using live human tissue models
11 November 2025
Oxford scientists are part of a new £15.9 million UK initiative to transform disease research through the development of advanced human tissue models. The INTREPID project will evaluate and optimise the use of live human tumour samples to enhance the accuracy of preclinical research, speed up drug discovery, and reduce dependence on animal testing.
Oxford Oncology at ESMO 2025
4 November 2025
The European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Congress took place on 17th-21st October, showcasing the latest advances and insights from the global oncology community. As Europe’s largest oncology meeting, ESMO brings together thousands of researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders for an exchange of cutting-edge research and clinical innovation. Members of the Department of Oncology were in Berlin to present their research, chair sessions, and network with collaborators from across Europe and beyond. Below are some of the highlights from our department’s contributions to ESMO 2025.
Michael Bryan wins international award at Europe’s largest cancer conference
24 October 2025
Michael - who is a CRUK Oxford Centre DPhil in Cancer Science student, working in the Nuffield Department of Medicine's Centre of Immuno-oncology - has been awarded the Best Poster Prize in CNS Tumours at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.
Professor Sarah Blagden to star in New Landmark Channel 4 Documentary Series 'Cancer Detectives: Finding the Cures'
16 October 2025
Channel 4 today announces 'Cancer Detectives: Finding the Cures', an observational documentary series that will explore the pioneering research that could transform the future of cancer detection, treatment and prevention.
Oxford Cancer Announces 2025 CRIS Cancer Clinical Career Fellows
13 October 2025
Oxford Cancer, together with the CRIS Cancer Foundation, is delighted to announce the appointment of the 2025 CRIS Cancer Postdoctoral Clinical Fellows: Dr Rebecca Ling and Dr Casmir Turnquist. Both Fellows will lead on two distinct projects focused on childhood cancer.
Dr Peter Wan Awarded Pancreatic Cancer UK Fellowship to Develop New Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer
9 October 2025
Dr Peter Kok-Ting Wan, PhD, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Oncology, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship from Pancreatic Cancer UK to develop a new immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer, which has the lowest survival rate of any common cancer
PSA testing patterns in England raise concerns about overtesting
9 October 2025
Study of 10 million men finds many are having prostate cancer tests more frequently than recommended. Research published in The BMJ reveals significant variations in PSA testing across England, raising concerns about overtesting.
CRUK Oxford Development Fund - now open for applications!
6 October 2025
The CRUK Oxford Centre's development fund is now open for applications.
Embracing Pride to assess perceptions of cancer research involvement among the LGBTQ+ community and improve inclusivity
1 October 2025
The Cancer Theme at NDPCHS participated in four UK Pride events in summer 2025 to better understand and improve LGBTQ+ representation in cancer research.
Two world firsts in myeloma trials at OUH
23 September 2025
Two world firsts have taken place in trials at Oxford University Hospitals to tackle the blood cancer myeloma. One of the trials is testing a new tracer to be used on myeloma patients during PET-CT scans; the other is investigating a new potential drug combination therapy.
Kezia Gaitskell awarded a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship
16 September 2025
Kezia Gaitskell, Consultant Pathologist and Honorary Visiting Fellow at Oxford Population Health, has been awarded a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. The Fellowship will support Dr Gaitskell’s research programme that uses large-scale population data to investigate the risk factors and origins of different types of endometrial and ovarian cancers. The programme will also develop methods to integrate digital and molecular pathology techniques into large cohort studies.
Iron Levels Found to Play a Key Role in FLASH Radiotherapy’s Tissue-Sparing Effect
16 September 2025
Researchers in the Department of Oncology have uncovered new insights into how FLASH radiation therapy (RT) kills cancer cells while minimising damage to healthy tissues. The study, led by Dr Ejung Moon in collaboration with Dr Kristoffer Petersson, has demonstrated that FLASH RT induces iron-dependent cell death in tumour cells but not in healthy cells, which may contribute to its tissue sparing effect. Notably, tissue iron levels were shown to critically influence this process, opening new avenues of investigation into which cancer types may benefit most from this promising therapeutic technique.
New Study Evaluates Effectiveness of Cancer Diagnosis Pathway for Patients with Non-Specific Symptoms
10 September 2025
A major UK study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and Oxford Cancer, has provided the most comprehensive analysis to date of a cancer diagnosis pathway for patients presenting with non-specific symptoms (NSS), such as unexplained weight loss or fatigue.
Join our Healthy Volunteer Blood Donation Campaign!
8 September 2025
Oxford Cancer is inviting healthy volunteers from the University to provide a small blood sample to the INTEGRATOR Research Tissue Bank.
New ‘off-the-shelf’ immunotherapy shows promise for treating high-risk childhood leukaemia
3 September 2025
Scientists at the University of Oxford, together with colleagues at Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow, have developed a new type of immunotherapy that could improve outcomes for infants and children with high-risk leukaemia.
The Kaiya Foundation to fund leukaemia research at University of Oxford
2 September 2025
The Kaiya Foundation has awarded one of its first major research grants, which will fund pioneering research into the fundamental cause of a high-risk leukaemia. The grant is being made to Dr Emily Neil and Professor Anindita Roy from the Childhood Leukaemia Research Group, based at the University of Oxford, in the hope that their discoveries will transform treatment approaches for sufferers through personalised medicine.
Women who have had early breast cancer have a lower risk of developing a second cancer than previously thought
28 August 2025
A new study by researchers at Oxford Population Health has found that women who have been successfully treated for early invasive breast cancer have a lower risk of developing a second primary cancer than previously thought. The study is published in The BMJ.