The Northern Ireland Cancer Recognised Research Group

The main aim of the Cancer Recognised Research Group (CRRG) is to promote Cancer Research activity within Northern Ireland. This is carried out by organising and funding a range of activities to enhance current research activities and to promote links between members of Cancer RRG.

Associate investigator (AI) membership of the Cancer RRG is free and open to all those actively engaged in cancer research in Northern Ireland; this allows access to many of the activities and keeps all those registered informed of the latest activities. The Cancer RRG is organised by a Principal Investigator (PI) committee which is composed of cancer researchers in NI who have project funding from the Research and Development Office (R& D) of the HPSS or who have national or international funding on cancer related projects. The R & D office also provides support for cohesion activities organised through the PI committee.

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Latest developments within the Cancer Research Community of NI.

• Queen's University Belfast Opens £25M Centre for Cancer Research
  
  On 28 November 2007 Queen's Chancellor Senator George Mitchell officially opened the University's new £25M cancer research centre aimed at stopping the spread of cancer.
  
  The Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) on Queen's Lisburn Road campus will develop new avenues for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases to help relieve human suffering.
  
  The state-of-the-art facility houses over 300 researchers from across the world. Along with the new Northern Ireland Clinical Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital, it makes Belfast one of Europe's leaders in the battle against cancer in the 21st Century.
  
  The development of both facilities has also created the first comprehensive cancer centre in Ireland, promoting international quality research programmes linking Queen's, the Health Service and other organisations funding cancer research.
  
  Professor Paddy Johnston addresses the guests at the official opening in the atrium area of the new CCRCB building. From left, Professor Paddy Johnston, Senator George Mitchell, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
  
  
  
  For further information on this event please go to: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforCancerResearchCellBiology/News/#20
  
  Further information on the CCRCB is available by visiting http://www.qub.ac.uk/ccrcb
  
  
• New Director of the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSRI) at the University of Ulster.
  
  From 1 January 2008 Professor Tony Bjourson became Director of the BMSRI which is situated on the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster. Professor Bjourson has a particular interest in genomics and spent many years working in plant genomics while working for the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland. He came to the University in 2001 and has since devoted much of his time to research into cancer genomics particularly as applied to breast cancer. He has recently identified a gene which may provide novel insights into the development of metastatic breast tumours.
  
  For more information on the BMSRI go to: http://www.science.ulster.ac.uk/biomed/research/
  
  Centre for Molecular Biosciences, Coleraine where most of the BMSRI staff are located.
  
  
  
  
• BioLink USA-Ireland Life Science Award 2007
  
  Professor Patrick Johnston was awarded the BioLink USA-Ireland Life Science Award at the Fifth Annual BioLink Conference in New York on 4 May 2007. Professor Johnston received the award from Dr Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, for his leadership, contributions and personal commitment to the global life science community.