Wales Cancer Research Centre

What Wales Cancer Research Centre does

Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) is a publicly funded cancer research coordination hub based at Cardiff University and supported by Health and Care Research Wales through the Welsh Government. Established to coordinate cancer research across Wales, WCRC leads the implementation of CReSt (Cancer Research Strategy for Wales), Wales's first unified national cancer research strategy organised around six priority themes: precision and mechanistic oncology, immuno-oncology, radiotherapy, cancer clinical trials, palliative and supportive oncology, and population health-based prevention, detection, and primary care. Its core "products" are programmatic rather than commercial: the CReSt strategy, the annual Wales Cancer Research Conference, the Wales Cancer Bioinformatics Network (WCBN), an Early Career Researcher (EMCR) Network, a Career Starter Award funding programme, and a Rapid Response Group for Patient and Public Involvement (PPI), alongside the PIRIT research impact toolkit co-developed with the Marie Curie Research Centre.

Operationally, WCRC convenes researchers, clinicians, patients, and policymakers across all Welsh universities, NHS trusts and cancer centres (including Velindre Cancer Centre), aggregating dispersed activity into a single coordinated portfolio. Its differentiation rests on systematic Patient and Public Involvement — including dedicated PPI Lay Leads, the Rapid Response Group, and formal PPI representation on governance committees such as the WCRC/CReSt Steering Committee — combined with bioinformatics infrastructure linked to the All-Wales Medical Genomics Service and the Wales Cancer Biobank. The centre also engages in international research collaborations, notably the Horizon Europe-funded SERENITY study on shared decision-making in palliative care.

WCRC is not a commercial entity and has no product pricing or revenue model. All funding is provided as core operational and programmatic grants by Health and Care Research Wales via the Welsh Government, supplemented by partner grants such as The Brain Tumour Charity's funding of the ARISTOCRAT glioblastoma trial. Its principal customers, in a service-delivery sense, are Welsh cancer researchers, NHS clinical staff, cancer patients and the Welsh public, served through funding, training, networking, PPI services, public engagement, and clinical trial support.

Name

Wales Cancer Research Centre

Legal name

Wales Cancer Research Centre

Website

https://walescancerresearchcentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) is a publicly funded cancer research coordination hub at Cardiff University that leads implementation of Wales's national Cancer Research Strategy (CReSt) across six research themes, serving researchers, clinicians, patients, and the Welsh public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research Coordination

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Medical Laboratories (621511)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Hospitals (8060)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) (EDAHAAAC), Clinical Trials Authorization & Oversight (GCP) (HLAJADAF), Laboratory Informatics & Reporting (LIMS/ELR) Public Health Networks (HLAJAIAN)

Keywords

• Cancer research coordination
• Clinical trial delivery
• Patient public involvement
• Research infrastructure
• Precision oncology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) is a national cancer research coordination hub that implements the Cancer Research Strategy for Wales (CReSt) across all Welsh universities and NHS cancer centres. It funds cancer research, runs early career researcher support programs, coordinates clinical trial activity, delivers the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) framework, and organises the annual Wales Cancer Research Conference. The centre is embedded within Cardiff University and funded by Health and Care Research Wales.

Product overview

Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) is a national cancer research coordination hub based at Cardiff University, funded by Health and Care Research Wales. It operates as a central coordinating body for cancer research across Wales, implementing the CReSt (Cancer Research Strategy for Wales) which focuses on six priority research themes. The centre provides various support programs including career development awards (Career Starter Award), public involvement services (Rapid Response Group, PPI Lay Lead), and research tools (PIRIT toolkit). It maintains collaborative networks such as the Wales Bioinformatics Network and organizes the annual Wales Cancer Research Conference. The centre supports clinical trials, immuno-oncology research, radiotherapy research, and population health initiatives across Welsh research institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CReSt (Cancer Research Strategy for Wales) Wales's first unified cancer research strategy covering six priority themes: precision and mechanistic oncology, immuno-oncology, radiotherapy, cancer clinical trials, palliative and supportive oncology, and population health-based cancer prevention, detection, and primary care. WCRC coordinates implementation of CReSt across all Welsh universities and NHS cancer centres.
• Wales Cancer Research Conference Annual conference bringing together cancer researchers, clinicians, patient advocates, and stakeholders from across the UK to celebrate research successes, share plans, and provide a platform for networking and collaboration. Features keynote speakers, poster presentations with prizes, networking sessions, and sponsor/exhibitor stands.
• Wales Cancer Bioinformatics Network (WCBN) A forum for researchers and bioinformaticians to share their experience working with cancer data, learn from other cancer researchers and bioinformaticians, and engage with guest speakers. Holds regular meetings, produces training resources, and has a GitHub page for sharing blogs and code.
• Career Starter Award Funding program offering 6-12 months of salary and consumables for early career researchers nearing the end of their PhD to pursue independent research careers in cancer research.
• Rapid Response Group A group of patients and caregivers with cancer experience who provide rapid public involvement feedback on research proposals when researchers face tight funding deadlines.
• PIRIT (Patient and Public Involvement in Research Impact Toolkit) A free toolkit developed jointly by WCRC and Marie Curie Research Centre to help researchers plan meaningful public involvement in research and track and demonstrate the difference it makes, aligned with UK Public Involvement Standards.
• Radiotherapy Medical Physics Programme (RaMP) A programme focused on radiotherapy medical physics research in Wales, providing opportunities for high-quality research in the radiotherapy research theme.

Quantifiable outcome

• WCRC was awarded £4,866,172 in sustainability funding from Health and Care Research Wales (January 2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major, core and supporting.

• Learned Society of WalesminorOthers · 1 January 2026The Learned Society of Wales is the national academy for arts and sciences. It elected WCRC PPI Research Partner Dr Kathy Seddon as a Fellow, recognising contributions to research, innovation, leadership, and creativity. WCRC is the beneficiary organisation of this recognition.
• Velindre Cancer CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Velindre Cancer Centre is an NHS cancer centre in Cardiff and the primary clinical site for WCRC researchers including Dr James Powell (neuro-oncology lead for the ARISTOCRAT trial) and Dr James Powell as a CReSt radiotherapy theme lead. It serves as a key partner for clinical research delivery.
• Cardiff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCRC is based at and embedded within Cardiff University. The university provides institutional infrastructure, hosting, and academic integration for WCRC researchers and the Hub Team. WCRC is formally part of Cardiff University's research ecosystem.
• Marie Curie Research Centre (Cardiff)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCRC co-developed the PIRIT (Patient and Public Involvement in Research Impact Toolkit) with the Marie Curie Research Centre at Cardiff University. Both centres used PIRIT in pilot cancer studies before its public launch at the Marie Curie Research Conference in February 2023. Joint publication and ongoing collaboration continues around the SERENITY pan-European palliative care study.
• Wales Cancer BiobankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wales Cancer Biobank is a core research infrastructure partner that provides biological samples for cancer research across Wales. It exhibited at the Wales Cancer Research Conference and is a named collaborator in WCRC's research ecosystem.
• Centre for Trials Research (Cardiff University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Centre for Trials Research at Cardiff University is a key partner in designing and delivering cancer clinical trials in Wales. It exhibited at the Wales Cancer Research Conference and is a named collaborator with WCRC.
• TenovussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenovus (Tenovus Cancer Care) is a Welsh cancer charity and exhibitor/sponsor at the Wales Cancer Research Conference. It participates in WCRC's research community and public engagement activities.
• Cancer Research WalessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancer Research Wales is a major Welsh cancer research charity and exhibitor/sponsor at WCRC conferences. It collaborates with WCRC researchers including Prof Duncan Baird on funded projects.
• Advanced Therapies WalessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvanced Therapies Wales (ATW) is a Welsh Government-backed initiative supporting the development and delivery of advanced therapies. ATW exhibited and sponsored the Wales Cancer Research Conference and collaborates with WCRC on innovation in cancer treatment research.
• AstraZenecasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstraZeneca was an exhibitor and sponsor at the Wales Cancer Research Conference 2024, indicating a collaborative relationship in cancer research and clinical development within Wales.
• CytivasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCytiva was an exhibitor and sponsor at the Wales Cancer Research Conference 2024, indicating support for WCRC's research ecosystem and cancer research infrastructure in Wales.
• RochesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoche was a sponsor at the Wales Cancer Research Conference 2024 and networked with attendees throughout the day, indicating a collaborative interest in WCRC's cancer research activities.
• Wales Cancer NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wales Cancer Network is an NHS Wales entity responsible for coordinating cancer services across Wales. It was a sponsor at the Wales Cancer Research Conference 2024 and is a key partner in WCRC's mission to improve cancer outcomes through research.
• Horizon Europe (SERENITY project)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCRC researchers (including Dr Kathy Seddon as PPI lead) participate in the SERENITY project — a pan-European Horizon Europe study involving eight countries focused on shared decision-making for anti-thrombotic therapy in cancer patients towards end of life. WCRC's PPI expertise contributes to the pan-European patient involvement strategy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Cancer Research Wales: Wales's principal cancer research charity and a direct in-region collaborator/sponsor of WCRC. Distinct as a charity funder rather than a coordinating centre, but operates in the same Welsh geographic scope and funds overlapping researchers.

Direct peers

• Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre: A CRUK-designated Cancer Research Centre coordinating translational cancer research across the University of Cambridge and affiliated NHS hospitals. Directly comparable multi-institutional coordination mandate, research themes structure, and patient involvement model.
• Manchester Cancer Research Centre: Manchester Cancer Research Centre is a comparable university-anchored cancer research coordination hub, jointly run by The University of Manchester, Cancer Research UK, and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Operates the same model of integrating research themes, training, and patient involvement across a UK region.
• Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre: University of Edinburgh's cancer research centre operating a similar multi-theme coordination structure across Scottish universities and NHS Lothian, comparable in regional scope and university-anchored governance.
• Northern Institute for Cancer Research (Newcastle): Newcastle University's cancer research institute coordinating translational research across the North East of England, with similar academic-health service integration and cancer training programmes.
• Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute: Glasgow-based cancer research institute focused on cancer biology, translational research and training. Comparable as a regional cancer research hub with multi-institutional coordination and a CRUK affiliation.
• Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (Queen's University Belfast): Queen's Belfast's cancer research centre coordinates cancer research across Northern Ireland's universities and NHS, with a similar embedded-in-university structure and devolved-region remit as WCRC.

Broad incumbents

• Institute of Cancer Research (ICR): One of the world's most influential cancer research institutes, based in London with the Royal Marsden. Much larger than WCRC but operates a comparable model of university-style research organisation with embedded clinical partnerships and a College of London affiliation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theWCRC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuwyDknozNJNPu2Uj7s1QTg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wales-cancer-research-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wales Cancer Research Centre