Our Prevention and Population Research Committee (PPRC) supports a broad portfolio of research including:
population-based studies using classical, clinical, and molecular epidemiology to understand cancer risk, aetiology and prevention strategies
translational and mechanistic research seeking to develop novel prevention targets and strategies, understand cancer risk and aetiology, and work towards precision prevention interventions
studies on cancer incidence rates and survival changes over time and geography
methodological and statistical research in prevention and population sciences
epidemiological studies on secondary physical effects of cancer treatment
risk stratification to identify high-risk groups for preventative interventions
clinical trials testing the efficacy and safety of preventive intervention agents
development and evaluation of behavioural and lifestyle interventions for cancer prevention including recurrence, addressing risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, physical activity, obesity, and UV exposure
policy-focused research to develop our prevention policies and advocacy strategies
We’re particularly interested in proposals addressing areas we consider to be of strategic priority as outlined in our main overarching research strategy and our prevention specific research strategy.
Explore our prevention research strategyRead our overarching research strategyThis scheme provides long-term support for broad, multidisciplinary research with transformative potential in prevention and population research.
This scheme provides support for focused research proposals centred on key questions in prevention and population research, including prevention intervention studies.
This scheme aims to harness biological and mechanistic insights to provide new targets and approaches for cancer prevention.
Research that falls outside of PPRC’s remit may be suitable for submission to one of our other committees. In particular, proposals related to population level (existing or novel) screening studies may be relevant for our sister committee, the Early Detection and Diagnosis Research Committee (EDDRC).
The PPRC meet twice a year to review applications with support from their expert peer review panels. They assess applications based on the quality and originality of the proposed work, clinical importance and alignment to our research strategy.
Our Patient and Public Review Panel also review all applications for schemes under the PPRC to consider potential patient and public impact and involvement plans.
Assessment criteria include:
a strong scientific rationale to support the proposed research proposal
value of the proposed work in advancing the fundamental understanding of cancer or improving how cancer is prevented, including the novelty of the approach
the potential for a remarkable impact on cancer prevention and/or understanding how cancer affects the population; designed with a clear line of sight to clinical/population impact
how the pathway to clinical/population impact is articulated as well as the evidence required to advance along it including appropriate consultation/collaboration with clinicians, population scientists, industrial partners and patients to facilitate this
an excellent track record and potential to produce outstanding results
suitability and feasibility to carry out the proposed research and access to the resources and facilities required for the successful fulfilment of the award
coherent methodological approach to address the proposed research aims, including an appropriately justified statistical plan
where relevant, demonstration of the added value of any proposed collaborations and the individual contributions, as well as the steps taken to ensure an effective collaboration
direct costs of the research, reasonably justified in line with the experimental plans, leveraging existing resources where appropriate
a clear process(es) for making the outputs (including knowledge and expertise) accessible to the scientific community and the public, whilst safeguarding intellectual property, the privacy of patients and confidential data
a clear, thoroughly developed and adequately resourced plan for patient and public involvement which should be evident throughout the proposed duration of the award
The terms of reference for this committee provide guidance for how they should assess all applications.
Read the PPRC terms of reference(PDF, 638 KB)
Professor Sir John Burn – Newcastle University
Professor Karen Brown - University of Leicester
Dr Leila Akkari - Netherlands Cancer Institute
Professor Krishnan Bhaskaran - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University College London
Professor Sarah Blagden – University of Oxford
Ally Boyle – Patient and Public Representative
Professor Nilanjan Chatterjee – Johns Hopkins University
Professor Helen Coleman – Queen's University Belfast
Professor Amanda Cross – Imperial College London
Dr Filippos Filippidis – Imperial College London
Professor Olivera Finn – University of Pittsburgh
Professor Monste Garcia-Closas – Institute of Cancer Research
Professor Ruth Langley - University College London
Professor Stuart McDonald – Queen Mary University of London
Professor Ute Mons - German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Professor Masashi Narita – University of Cambridge
Dr Michael Pollak – McGill University
Dr James Reading – University College London
Professor Peter Sasieni – King's College London
Professor Linda Sharp – Newcastle University
Professor Alex Smith – University of York
Professor Andrew Steptoe – University College London
Dr Eva Szabo – The National Cancer Institute
Professor Evropi Theodoratou – University of Edinburgh
Lisa Townsend – Patient and Public Representative
Professor Mark Tully – Ulster University
Dr Juliet Usher-Smith – University of Cambridge
Professor Amanda Cross – Imperial College London
Dr Eva Szabo – The National Cancer Institute
Professor Walid Khaled – University of Cambridge
Professor Mark Tully – Ulster University
Professor Linda Sharp – Newcastle University
Professor Rebecca Hardy – Loughborough University
Ally Boyle
Lisa Townsend
Lisa Adam
Orouba Almilaji
Dr Alison Allam
Dr Catherine Biggs
Phil Buck
William Crosbie
Firoza Davies
Mark Edwards
Musa Garba
Elsa Graviil
Jax Hamil
Kate Hawley
Ike Junior
Heena Karania
Angela King
Emily Lam
Liz Middleton
Stella O'Brien
Phil Pocock
Emily Slade
Eve Smyth
Early- to mid-career researchers can apply for the opportunity to observe our panel and committee meetings across our funding remit.
Each year we fund a wide range of new research through our response-mode funding schemes. Find out who has been recently funded and learn more about their research projects.
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