A team of researchers from Manchester was yesterday awarded the 2011 Cancer Research UK Prize for Translational Cancer Research at the NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool. The prize recognises the work of researchers at the Cancer Research UK Paterson Institute, The University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and AstraZeneca, who together have contributed to transforming the field of biomarker research and early clinical trials.

The team, led by Professor Caroline Dive and comprising Professor Malcolm Ransom, Dr Fiona Blackhall and Professor Andrew Hughes, have had many successes in using biomarkers – substances that can be measured to determine several factors such as how well a patient is responding to a treatment – to enhance clinical trials. Their biomarker portfolio has been used in over 70 clinical trials since 2004.

The team’s accomplishments in translational research in lung cancer are an example of the many achievements that were recognised by the panel. They have discovered that circulating tumour cells in lung cancer can be used to predict response to treatment.

Professor Dive said: “We’re honoured to receive the Cancer Research UK Translational Cancer Research Prize. Our collaborations have meant that we’ve been able to make advances that would have been impossible otherwise. Biomarkers have great potential in many areas, and we have championed their use in clinical trials because this can greatly enhance the impact of the trial – for example we are better able to monitor how well a patient is responding to treatment.”

Dr Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “The team in Manchester fully deserves the recognition of the Cancer Research UK Translational Cancer Research Prize. They’re an excellent example of how team work is essential for translational research, bringing together different backgrounds and expertise to answer some of the biggest questions in cancer.”