What CRUK Cambridge Centre does

CRUK Cambridge Centre is a charitable cancer research collaboration established in 2007 and based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in the United Kingdom. It operates as a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the University of Cambridge, and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with additional infrastructure funding from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, the Medical Research Council, and philanthropic partners including the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. The Centre coordinates more than 1,200 researchers and physicians across ten research programmes, three virtual institutes, and four affiliated physical institutes, including the CRUK Cambridge Institute (350 bench researchers at the Li Ka Shing Centre) and the Early Cancer Institute. Its research portfolio spans fundamental biology of cancer, advanced imaging, cancer immunology, childhood/teenage/young adult cancers, pancreatic cancer, thoracic cancer, women's cancers, and nursing/allied health professional practice.

The Centre's technical platform combines basic science, translational research, and clinical delivery on a single campus. Notable proprietary technologies include the Cytosponge-TFF3 test for non-endoscopic Barrett's oesophagus screening, circulating tumour DNA molecular characterisation under GLP conditions, hyperpolarised 13C-pyruvate and 13C-fumarate MRI (MISSION study), the Heidelberg MRI-transrectal fusion biopsy system (the only unit of its kind in the UK), adaptive SMARTer trial designs, the BOADICEA BRCA1/2 carrier probability model, the PREDICT breast cancer prognosis tool used widely across the NHS, METABRIC genetic barcoding that classified 2,000 breast cancer samples into 10 molecular subtypes, and the first worldwide JAK2 molecular diagnostic for myeloproliferative neoplasms. Clinical delivery runs through Addenbrooke's Hospital (a 1,100-bed tertiary referral centre serving 4 million people across the East of England) and Royal Papworth Hospital, with approximately 6,000 new cancer patients annually and over 50% participating in clinical trials coordinated by the Cambridge Cancer Trials Centre (~2,000 trial participants per year).

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable grants, institutional funding, and government research council streams rather than commercial sales. Cancer Research UK has committed £100 million over 2022-2027 across its seven UK Centres including Cambridge, supplemented by NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre Cancer Theme funding, MRC grants, Mark Foundation support, CRUK RadNet Cambridge, ACED, CRUK Children's Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, and Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre awards. Clinical services are delivered free at the point of care via the NHS; research outputs are disseminated through publications, the Cambridge Festival (the UK's largest free science festival, ~35,000 visitors annually), podcast series, lecture programmes, and the Centre's website and Twitter channels. Customers/users fall into four segments: cancer patients receiving diagnosis and treatment, cancer researchers and clinicians collaborating on the ten programmes, graduate and postdoctoral trainees, and the general public reached through public engagement.

Name

CRUK Cambridge Centre

Legal name

Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre

Website

https://crukcambridgecentre.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CRUK Cambridge Centre is a charitable cancer research collaboration on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, coordinating over 1,200 researchers and physicians across ten programmes to deliver earlier cancer detection and more precise treatments, serving patients, clinicians, and trainees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Medical Laboratories (621511)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL)

Keywords

• Cancer research
• Clinical trials
• Translational medicine
• Precision oncology
• Biomedical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable funding and grants: Cancer Research UK investing £100 million over five years (2022-2027) into seven Cancer Research UK Centres including Cambridge. Additional funding from NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Medical Research Council
2. Institutional partnerships: Funding from core partners: Cancer Research UK, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, plus NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Medical Research Council
3. Specialised research funding: Additional grants from Mark Foundation for Integrated Cancer Medicine, ACED (International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection), CRUK RadNet, CRUK Children's Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, Cambridge ECMC

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CRUK Cambridge Centre is a cancer research collaboration coordinating basic science, translational research, and clinical care across the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It delivers clinical trials (including early-phase experimental medicine), research programmes spanning ten research themes, and education/training programmes (MRes + PhD, fellowships). The Centre also develops and validates screening and diagnostic tools such as the Cytosponge-TFF3 test and the BOADICEA and PREDICT clinical decision tools.

Product overview

CRUK Cambridge Centre is a cancer research and clinical care collaboration, not a product company. Its website serves as an informational portal for a network of research programs, clinical trial services, and educational offerings. The centre comprises ten research programmes, three virtual institutes, and four affiliated physical institutes, coordinating cancer research across Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Cambridge, and partner research institutes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CRUK Cambridge Centre Website Primary web portal providing information about research programmes, clinical trials, education and training, and patient care services across Cambridge's cancer research ecosystem.
• Cambridge Cancer Trials Centre (CCTC) Clinical trials coordination service running approximately 2000 participants per year across multiple cancer types, with patients referred from East Anglia and beyond via NHS pathways.
• Early Phase Clinical Trials Early-phase experimental medicine trials programme for cancer patients with limited treatment options, staffed by the Cambridge Cancer Drug Development Team.
• MRes + PhD Programme in Cancer Biology Postgraduate training programme in cancer biology for graduate and postdoctoral researchers, including MRes + PhD pathway, Clinical Research Training Fellowships, and the Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Scholarship Programme.
• Cytosponge-TFF3 Test Screening test for Barrett's oesophagus combining a swallowed sponge device with TFF3 biomarker detection as a less invasive, cost-effective alternative to endoscopy for early detection of oesophageal cancer.
• BOADICEA BRCA1/BRCA2 Carrier Probability Prediction Model Web-based clinical tool used worldwide for familial cancer risk assessment to predict BRCA1 and BRCA2 carrier probability.
• PREDICT Breast Cancer Prognosis Tool Web-based prognostic tool developed from UK clinical research data to aid multi-disciplinary teams in managing women with early-stage breast cancer, widely used throughout the NHS.
• Cancer Clinical Services via Addenbrooke's Hospital Comprehensive cancer care including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and clinical trial access delivered through the 1,100-bed Addenbrooke's Hospital serving a core population of 1.3 million and tertiary referrals for 4 million across East of England.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% nine-year breast cancer survival rate vs 78% regional average
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership between Cancer Research UK, Canary Center at Stanford University, University of Cambridge, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, University College London and University of Manchester for early cancer detection research.
• NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Supports infrastructure across Cambridge Biomedical Campus including Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Cambridge Cancer Trials Centre, sample collection and Human Research Tissue Bank. Cancer is largest theme.
• Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Network of experimental cancer medicine centres across UK providing infrastructure for early phase clinical trials and translational research.
• CRUK RadNet CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Part of CRUK radiation research network focused on radiotherapy research and innovation in cancer treatment.
• CRUK Children's Brain Tumour Centre of ExcellencemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-hosted by Cambridge and Institute of Cancer Research, London. Dedicated to research into brain tumours affecting children.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Core governance partner and host institution. School of Clinical Medicine and School of Biological Sciences form foundations for cancer science innovations. Many Centre members have joint appointments with University and partner research institutes.
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Core governance partner operating Addenbrooke's Hospital, a 1,100 bed regional hospital providing cancer care for 1.3 million core population and tertiary referrals for 4 million East of England population.
• Cancer Research UK Cambridge InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Part of Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine. Over 20 research groups with 350 bench researchers housed in Li Ka Shing Centre. Fundamental principle links laboratory to clinic driving new approaches to screening, prevention and treatment.
• Addenbrooke's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20071,100 bed regional hospital providing cancer care for core population of 1.3 million. Tertiary referral centre for most cancers for East of England covering 4 million. Many consultants involved in research projects or clinical trials.
• Department of Oncology, University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Academic department within School of Clinical Medicine led by Professor Richard Gilbertson. Located across several sites on Cambridge Biomedical Campus providing access to state-of-the-art clinical and research facilities.
• Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007UK's largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital and main heart and lung transplant centre. Key centre for lung cancer diagnosis and surgery for West Anglia region conducting research into screening and early diagnosis.
• Early Cancer InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007UK's only Institute dedicated to Early Cancer research. World-leading centre for early detection of cancer, highly multidisciplinary collaborative ecosystem based on Cambridge Biomedical Campus with eight research groups.
• MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007One of birthplaces of modern molecular biology. Techniques pioneered include DNA sequencing, protein structure determination, and monoclonal antibody development. Applied research to understanding and curing disease.
• Wellcome Sanger InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Leader in Human Genome Project, now focused on genetics in health and disease. Largest contributor to Human Genome Project and generates data and resources of lasting value to biomedical research.
• Cambridge Stem Cell InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007World-leading centre for stem cell biology and medicine bringing together researchers from 25 stem cell laboratories. Focus on generating knowledge of stem cell properties to establish medical potential.
• Babraham InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Innovative life sciences research on normal cellular processes during development, ageing and experience. Research on body reactions to dietary and environmental stimuli translated into medicines for diseases like cancer.
• European Bioinformatics InstitutemajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2007Part of European Molecular Biology Laboratory providing freely available data from life science experiments. Identifying gene patterns in different tumours helps develop early diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
• Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Cross-departmental institute providing valuable interface between basic and clinical science. Objective of determining and understanding molecular mechanisms of disease.
• Strangeways Research LaboratorymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Specialists in epidemiology, cancer, and genetics of public health. Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology based there is a leading centre for research into genetics of cancer including association studies in breast, ovarian, prostate cancers.
• Cambridge Institute of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Partnership between academic departments, NHS and charitable sector. Research focused on population health influences in relation to susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes.
• Cancer Core EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007European collaboration of leading cancer research centres working together on cancer treatment and research initiatives.
• Milner Therapeutics Institute and ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Institute and consortium focused on therapeutics research and development, enabling translation of discoveries into new cancer treatments.
• CRUK Therapeutic Discovery LaboratoriesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007CRUK's drug discovery initiative focused on developing new cancer treatments through pharmaceutical research.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• European Institute of Oncology (IEO): Leading European cancer research and treatment centre in Milan, Italy. Comparable comprehensive cancer model combining clinical care and translational research, with overlapping European clinical trial consortia membership.

Direct peers

• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust: UK's largest specialist cancer hospital, paired with the ICR. Operates early-phase trials, comprehensive cancer care, and translational research, making it functionally comparable to the Addenbrooke's/CRUK Cambridge clinical trial ecosystem.
• Manchester Cancer Research Centre: UK cancer research partnership between the University of Manchester, CRUK Manchester Institute and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Comparable multi-institution model combining basic, translational and clinical cancer research.
• UCL Cancer Institute: University College London's cancer research hub, combining laboratory science, clinical trials and training across multiple cancer types. Comparable academic cancer research and clinical trial footprint in London.
• The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR): UK-based cancer research and clinical trials organisation closely tied to The Royal Marsden. Runs multi-phase oncology trials and translational research programmes, making it the most directly comparable UK peer to CRUK Cambridge Centre.

Broad incumbents

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Harvard-affiliated US cancer research and treatment centre with major clinical trials programme and translational research, including leading work in early detection and precision oncology comparable to Cambridge's focus areas.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: US NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centre with a research-hospital hybrid model running high-volume clinical trials. Globally comparable to CRUK Cambridge Centre in scale, prestige, and clinical-translational integration.
• Wellcome Sanger Institute: Genomics and biomedical research institute co-located with CRUK Cambridge Centre on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Strategic partner delivering large-scale genomic data assets that underpin Cambridge's cancer programmes.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center: Largest US cancer centre and OECI-equivalent Comprehensive Cancer Centre, with deep pharma partnerships, large trial volume, and significant technology commercialisation. Demonstrates the upper bound of what a comprehensive cancer centre ecosystem can achieve.
• The Francis Crick Institute: Major UK biomedical research institute in London, focused on fundamental biology including cancer. Comparable in scale and academic character, with broader scope beyond oncology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CRUKCamCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crukcamcentre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CRUK Cambridge Centre