WORK in the city to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has been given an £8 million boost.
The money, given to Nottingham Trent University's John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, will support its crucial work into the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
The donation is being made by the John and Lucille van Geest Foundation, which helped to establish the research centre with a similar-sized gift in 2008.
The cash will help fund leading-edge research taking place at the centre – based at the Clifton campus in the university's School of Science and Technology – which is vital to improving understanding of cancer.
Scientists at the university are working to develop better approaches for identifying the presence, severity and progression of cancer, as well as providing an insight into how patients will respond to certain treatments.
A key area of their research is to develop ways to immunise patients against their cancer, in much the same way that people can be protected against tetanus or flu.
The donation will help to fund research scientists, and to purchase and maintain key pieces of equipment and technology. A trust, which consists of university-nominated trustees, has been set up to manage the donation.
Professor Robert Rees, director of the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, said: "We are extremely grateful for this generous and hugely-important donation.
"The John and Lucille van Geest Foundation has now donated more than £16 million to support cancer research at Nottingham Trent University. These funds will enable the continuing development of ways to diagnose cancer more quickly and accurately, so that the chances of survival are improved.
"It will also support research to help us predict how individuals will respond to treatments, so that more effective options can be used – and help as part of our continued drive to research the development of vaccines which can lead to the targeting and destruction of cancers."
Trustees of the John and Lucille van Geest Foundation were today set to attend a special presentation at the Clifton campus, with representatives from the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, the university's senior management team and its board of governors.
Professor Graham Pockley, associate director of the centre, said: "Better outcomes will be generated by personalising treatments. Although great progress has already been made, this donation will make possible highly innovative 'blue sky' research, which will lead to vital new discoveries."
The John and Lucille van Geest Foundation has played a key role in funding medical research since it was first established in 1976 as The John van Geest Charitable Fund.
