The Oxford Centre for Cancer Early Detection and Prevention (OxCODE) Funding Scheme aims to advance innovative Oxford-based research that can be applied to cancer earlier detection and/or prevention. OxCODE provides short-term awards that will enable the development of proof-of-concept projects, technologies, assays and platforms to a stage at which more long-term external funding can be sought. Priority was given to projects with a clear translational trajectory towards the ultimate longer-term goal of improving clinical outcomes by lowering cancer risk or incidence, or through earlier detection.
After peer review by the OxCODE Operational Group and the Oxford Cancer Public and Patient Involvement Group, funds were allocated to the following projects:
- Dr Ray DiNardi & Dr Niyas Salam (Stevens group, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics) “Biomarker-triggered self-replicating microrobots for amplified detection of bladder cancer”.
- Dr Christiana Kartsonaki (Nuffield Department of Population Health) “Identifying target populations for early detection of pancreatic cancer”
- Dr Giuseppina Pisignano (Song group, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research) “RNA signatures in tumor-educated platelets as a novel pseudouridine-based biomarker approach”
- Dr Jie Yang (Department of Oncology) “Aspirin enhances LynchVax-induced T cell immunity to reduce cancer risk in Lynch Syndrome”
Congratulations to these teams and thank you to all applicants for their submissions.