What is this theme about?

The primary focus of this theme is to support collaborative endeavours that develop new technologies to address currently intractable problems in cancer biology, and to translate these innovation to the clinic, whenever possible. Closely supported by our Clinical Development initiative, our Convergence Discovery Research theme aims to create a virtuous loop between Discovery and Clinical research (Iterative and reverse translation), allowing clinical trial materials (e.g, trial data, liquid and solid biopsies) to drive Discovery Research to, in return, inform and guide future clinical trials. The Convergence Science Centre strongly support the development of 3D patient-derived cancer models – including organoids, co-culture systems, organ on a chip and explant cultures. Our ambition is to engage engineering and physical science (EPS) research groups to utilise the extraordinary potential of patient-derived models to solve unanswered biological questions, and find solutions to unmet clinical needs. This mission will also require a multi-modal Data Science approach combining OMICs, imaging, and mixed-methods research data to decipher in depth what the cancer biology can tell us in term of cancer emergence, adaptation, response to treatment, resistance, metastasis and recurrence. 

What does Convergence Discovery Research entail?

Convergence science is reshaping cancer research by blending disciplines like biology, engineering, and computational science to address complex challenges and advance discovery and translation. Innovations such as next-generation sequencing have advanced our understanding of cancer genomes, while CRISPR and protein engineering have enabled precise exploration of gene functions. Nanotechnologies and RNA-based therapies offer new avenues for cancer treatment, and machine learning is unlocking patterns in biological data to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets. At the CRUK Convergence Science Centre, experts from Imperial and the ICR unite to solve unanswered questions in cancer, pushing the boundaries of innovation and discovery. While traditionally focused on bridging basic research and clinical applications, convergence science extends its impact to early discovery, offering innovative tools and methodologies to understand cancer at its core. By integrating diverse expertise, researchers can explore the intricate interactions that drive cancer development, progression, and treatment responses, opening new avenues for biomarker identification and therapeutic discovery.

This interdisciplinary approach is crucial for visualising cancer’s complexities, such as tumour heterogeneity, microenvironment interactions, and resistance mechanisms. Through advanced imaging, in vivo monitoring, and computational models, convergence science enables researchers to observe cancer processes in real time. These innovations not only enhance understanding but also inform the design of targeted therapies and improve patient selection in clinical trials, ensuring treatments are tailored to individual needs.

By using convergence science, researchers also foster a bi-directional translational model, where discoveries inform clinical practice and patient observations guide further research. This iterative process accelerates the development of personalised cancer care, aiming to improve outcomes and reduce treatment side effects. With its transformative potential, convergence science represents a beacon of hope, driving collaborations and breakthroughs that can revolutionise cancer research and care for patients worldwide.

We use convergence science to:

Patient-derived models at the Centre