Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute

09/06/2026

How do our T cells become efficient cancer killers?

New research from the de la Roche Group has uncovered a previously unknown element of the Hedgehog signalling pathway that enhances T cells' ability to destroy infected and cancerous cells.

Their study shows the pathway could be tuned to make T cells more effective, opening new possibilities for immunotherapy, including CAR T-cell treatments.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s44319-026-00810-8

05/06/2026

In his role as a Senior Research Associate, computer scientist Michail helps his colleagues in the Gilbertson Group train and utilise AI models to assist their vital research.

Find out more in the latest Behind the Lab Coat.

01/06/2026

In this quick video, first author Dr Giorgia Battistoni introduces a new paper on a flexible high-throughput technology for barcoding cells.

This new method will allow scientists to map the molecular identities and functions of cells within their spatial context which is key to understanding the complex interplay within and between tissue neighbourhoods.

18/05/2026

We are delighted to announce that Dr Guiping Wang is joining us as a Junior Group Leader, starting in September 2026.

Guiping joins us from Stanford University where, as a Postdoctoral Fellow, she identified a key weakness in certain aggressive cancers and developed advanced methods to study multiple layers of gene regulation within individual cells.

At the CI the Wang Group will bridge the gap between high-resolution spatial biology and genome-wide discovery to investigate how the spatial organisation of DNA, RNAs, and proteins influences cancer cell behaviour.

Find out more in our news post: https://www.cruk.cam.ac.uk/news/dr-guiping-wang-appointed-as-a-junior-group-leader/

14/05/2026

The CI's Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian is one of three scientists who jointly received the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research this month.

The 2026 award recognises Professor Balasubramanian and his co-recipients David Klenerman and Pascal Meyer for their pioneering work in genome sequencing technologies. This work revolutionised research in cell biology, ecology, biomedicine and forensic medicine, and has led to the creation of both new fields of research and new clinical treatments for cancer, infectious and rare diseases.

Read more: https://www.cruk.cam.ac.uk/news/shankar-balasubramanian-receives-the-princess-of-asturias-award-for-scientific-and-technical-research/

14/05/2026

Congratulations to our Senior Group Leader Professor Sir Steve Jackson for receiving the Society of Apothecaries 2026 Galen Medal for Therapeutics.

This award comes in recognition of his transformational work on the mechanisms of DNA repair, as well as for the development of the PARP-inhibitor drug Olaparib which is used in the treatment of a range of cancer types including breast, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic.

27/04/2026

Ovarian cancer can be difficult to detect and to treat but AI technology is already making a difference.

Recently the CI's Prof James Brenton and Dr Gabriel Funingana, and patient representative Fiona Barve, spoke with Associated
Press about some of the ways the technology is bringing new possibilities in both the lab and the clinic.

Watch the short video below.

11 likes, 2 comments. "Doctors are using AI to improve and personalize ovarian cancer treatment"

21/04/2026

We were delighted to welcome The GlioBabes Podcast into our lab to record for a recent episode.

The CI's Dr Jessica Taylor joined the conversation to talk about her day-to-day role looking into childhood brain tumours in our Gilbertson Group and how researchers like her are working to create treatments that are both more effective and gentler for those living with cancer.

You can find the episode entitled "Live from The Lab, Dr Jessica Taylor | Cancer Research, Childhood Brain Tumours, Scientific Careers" by searching for The GlioBabes Podcast on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

17/04/2026

Nadia's journey into cancer biology might have its roots in a cartoon she watched as a child that showed how the body fights off colds and coughs. Now she works part-time as our Core Facilities Operations Specialist.

Every day she helps ensure the smooth running of our in-house services and labs, like microscopy, genomics and histopathology. Find out more about her role and her career story in the latest Behind the Lab Coat.

02/04/2026

Congratulations to Jackson Group PhD student Chen Gang Goh for earning a place as a finalist in the STEM for Britain competition.

Recently he was invited to the Houses of Parliament to present his research in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences category. He also had the chance to network with other finalists, and meet the judging panel and MPs including MP for Cambridge Daniel Zeichner.

Find out more about the competition: https://stemforbritain.org.uk/