Cancer research at the University of Liverpool has been given a million pound funding boost thanks to North West Cancer Research.

The University of Liverpool reports that the charity, which has already ploughed more than £15m into research at the North West Cancer Research Centre at the University of Liverpool, has agreed the additional funding which will sustain the Centre through to 2021. The investment includes provisions to fund pioneering research which will benefit cancer patients in Liverpool and across North West England, as well as supporting the next generation of researchers.

It will facilitate the creation of a Research Development Fund, which will ring fence money for seed funding for new projects, enabling researchers to gather initial data for their hypotheses. This will enable researchers, scientists and clinicians to secure new funding and attract further investment in world class research to Liverpool.

Up to six new PhD studentships will be created over the next three years, providing invaluable support for a variety of projects. North West Cancer Research currently funds sixteen PhD studentships at the University of Liverpool as well as providing seven places for medical students to further develop their skills in cancer research techniques.

A first of its kind project which brings together the country’s top cancer and health experts, to help tackle Liverpool’s rising cancer rates, will also benefit from the funding deal. The Liverpool Cancer Inequalities Research Network (LCIRN) is conducting extensive research which looks at factors such as the environment, social behaviour and diagnosis pathways, to better understand how cancer is handled in Merseyside.

North West Cancer Research Centre lead Professor Sarah Coupland, said “We are extremely grateful to North West Cancer Research for their renewed support. Since our partnership was formed in April 2014, our cancer research network across the North West has grown in size and strength. This additional funding through to 2021 will enable us to double our efforts in working with the people of Liverpool-Merseyside, the Liverpool City Council, the Hospital Trusts and Liverpool Health Partners to help address the serious health challenge that Cancer represents in this region”.

North West Cancer Research currently supports £4.2m worth of cancer research at the University of Liverpool. This includes innovative research into the behaviour of cancer cells and tumour spread in neuroblastomas, a rare childhood cancer and a new project looking at the effectiveness of blood testing for pancreatic cancer.

Alastair Richards, CEO, North West Cancer Research said “As a charity we pride ourselves on only backing the very best quality of research – research which will ultimately deliver significant breakthroughs and have a direct impact on people living in Liverpool and the North West. Cancer is one of the biggest killers in our region. Thanks to research, half of all people diagnosed with cancer today will survive. It is our aim to ensure that in the future everyone diagnosed with cancer will have a better chance to survive.”

The North West Cancer Research Centre at the University of Liverpool was founded three years ago, with the aim of reducing the impact of cancers across North West England.