Our current funding focus
The ICR Global Foundation exists to fund truly cutting edge cancer research as effectively as possible. To that end, we exclusively fund organizations that exhibit excellence, education and efficiency in cancer research.
Excellence
The ICR is internationally renowned as the best cancer research institution outside the United States. The breadth and excellence of the ICR’s work are demonstrated by its exceptional record of successes, including:
Genetics
- The dramatic discovery that the basic cause of cancer is damage to DNA
- The isolation of the breast cancer gene, BRCA2, which laid the groundwork for the development of novel forms of therapy for BRCA-associated cancers
- The revelation of the mechanism by which RAS, one of the most commonly activated genes in cancer, turns normal cells into tumor cells
- The characterization of the cancer gene, BRAF, leading to an accelerated drug discovery program for the treatment of malignant melanoma and other tumors
Epidemiology
- The identification of the potential link between smoking and lung cancer, which was subsequently confirmed
Therapeutic Development
- The synthesis of busulfan, chlorambusil and melphalan and the development of carboplatin, four important anti-cancer drugs used worldwide to treat a range of cancers
- The discovery of, on average, two drug development candidates per year over the last five years – an achievement that is unrivalled worldwide
In 2008, the ICR was ranked first among academic research centers (ahead of Oxford, Cambridge and all other UK universities) by The Times Higher Education’s authoritative interpretation of the 2008 RAE, the UK government’s most recent peer review analysis of research at UK universities.
Education
The ICR is a college of the University of London and provides postgraduate education of international distinction to educate the next generation of cancer researchers. Alumni hold key positions at many of the world’s top cancer institutions, including the ICR, Harvard Medical School and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
ICR scientists focus on the best scientific leads regardless of financial return on investment. As a result, the ICR is a world leader in treating childhood and other rare cancers, which have low incidence and therefore are not financially lucrative.
Efficiency
The ICR’s fiscal efficiency is unparalleled, with over 90% of revenues going directly to research. This is matched by efficiency in allocating funds to research projects that yield results, as the ICR is a world leader in drug development and cancer genetics on a budget representing only 1% of global cancer spend.
