The ICR’s History of Discovery
Since its foundation in 1909, the ICR has pioneered some of the most important discoveries in cancer research. We provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease. We also made some of the first discoveries of carcinogenic compounds in coal tar and cigarette smoke, indicating the potential link between smoking and lung cancer.
The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is the second-ranked academic research centre in the UK – according to the Times Higher Education league table of university research quality and impact compiled from the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) – and first for biological sciences. We were also the third-ranked higher education institution in the UK for the impact of our research on society – thanks to our strategy of combining world-class basic cancer research with a determination to take discoveries to patients. Some 99 per cent of the ICR’s biological science and 97 per cent of its clinical medicine submissions were ranked as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in REF 2021. We also made submissions describing ICR’s impact on the lives of people with cancer and its research environment, both of which gained outstanding scores in REF 2021.
Our ranking is a powerful endorsement of the quality of the ICR’s research, and the success of our partnership with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in translating discoveries to benefit patients.
We have been a pioneer in cancer drug discovery and development since the 1950s, when researchers at the ICR were the first in Europe to develop chemotherapy agents for cancer. We also discovered the essential role of the thymus in our immune systems – a foundation of modern immunology and immunotherapy. And our researchers have worked closely with colleagues at The Royal Marsden to make major advances in the development of high-precision radiotherapy.
Over the last few decades, the ICR has been a global leader in identifying and characterising cancer-related genes, and at translating these discoveries into advances in treatment and targeted prevention. For example, we discovered the breast cancer gene BRCA2 – enabling families to be assessed for genetic risk and laying the groundwork for new forms of treatment.
ICR has over 1,100 staff and 200 postgraduate research students, based in two locations adjacent to the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust facilities in Chelsea, London and in Sutton.
Leadership at the ICR
- Professor Dame Julia Buckingham took up the role of ICR Chair in 2021. She leads the Board and has oversight of its sub-Committees.
- Charlie Foreman joined the ICR Board in October 2020 and became Deputy Chair in August 2023. He Chairs the ICR’s Remuneration Committee.
- Professor Kristian Helin is the ICR’s Chief Executive and President and has overall leadership responsibility for the organisation and delivery of the ICR’s research strategy. He joined the ICR in 2021.
- Professor Clare Isacke joined the ICR in 2013. She has been Dean of Academic & Research Affairs since 2019 and sits on the Board of Trustees in that capacity.
- Paul Norris joined in the ICR in 2008. In 2023 he was appointed the ICR’s Chief Financial Officer. He has joint responsibility with the Chief Research and Academic Officer for Professional Services and provides broader organisational leadership and support.
- Barbara Pittam joined the ICR in 2006. In 2023 she was appointed the ICR’s Chief Research and Academic Officer with responsibility for Academic and Research services as well as providing broader organisational leadership and support.
