'At Oxford Cancer, we are committed to learning from patient experience and allowing people with experience of cancer to influence our research agenda. To date, in our work with people affected by cancer, and learning from others who have done similar work elsewhere, we have identified issues that matter to people with blood cancers, colorectal cancer and oesophagogastric cancer.
But what happens next? In fact, in spite of the efforts of multiple groups in a range of disease areas, priorities of patients do not always translate into pieces of research in a timely fashion, if at all. There are multiple reasons for this, including narrow definitions of what constitutes ‘legitimate’ cancer research and a lack of dedicated funding for patient-centred pilot studies.
To help address this challenge, Oxford Cancer is introducing a PPI-Led Pump Priming Scheme, which will launch in Spring 2026. The scheme will act as a ‘Hub’ to connect the ideas and concerns of patients with our wider research network.
Identified priority areas will be subject to literature reviews carried out by medical students through the Oxford Cancer Society. Subsequent to review, those topics that suggest feasible small-scale research projects, and those that might sit under the heading of a larger topic area, will be shortlisted by the Hub Selection Committee. Researchers will then be invited to express their interest in the shortlist with an Expression of Interest form.
Of course, PPI will be at the heart of any research funded by the scheme. Successful applicants will have the support and input of our experienced PPI community. Not only will the ‘Hub’ enable research that matters to patients, but also it will enrich the PPI skills of successful applicants, making them more familiar with working with PPI representatives.
We would love to hear from you with your ideas for addressing our shortlist, which will be published on our funding pages at the beginning of March. If you have any questions at this stage, please reach out to me for more information.'
