Ovarian Cancer Action research strategy
Targeting ovarian cancer, saving women's lives
Our research strategy sets out our priorities for advancing research over the next five years for the benefit of women with ovarian cancer. Our goal at Ovarian Cancer Action is to achieve step-changes in survival by converting it into a chronic and ultimately curable condition.
Ovarian cancer kills one woman every two hours in the UK. Survival from ovarian cancer has improved significantly in the last 10 years with latest figures showing that around 40% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer survive the disease for at least five years - but this compares negatively with an 80% survival rate for women surviving breast cancer longer than five years.
Ovarian Cancer Action will support research aimed at achieving the following goals:
In pursuit of these overall goals, Ovarian Cancer Action is currently channelling its resources into addressing critical gaps in knowledge in the following research target areas:
The Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, under the directorship of Professor Hani Gabra, forms the nucleus of our research portfolio and our strategy. We will build on its core strengths in our research target areas to develop an international hub for ovarian cancer research through providing further support and fostering major collaborative programmes:
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Build an international hub for research comprising over 80 scientists and clinicians, the largest critical mass of ovarian cancer researchers in the world
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Assign a crack team of researchers to address the problem of resistance to chemotherapy, the major cause of low survival in women with ovarian cancer
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Tackle ovarian cancer across a broad front from prevention to early detection to improved treatments using the latest research technology
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Fast-track new treatments from the bench to the bedside
In addition to providing funding for the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, and subject to independent peer review, we will offer project grants and postdoctoral fellowships to applicants from across the UK for novel high-quality work in specific research target areas. Application guidelines and forms will be available on the charity website www.ovarian.org.uk
Ovarian Cancer Action will actively seek to partner with other funders in advancing knowledge in its research target areas.
The Biennial International Forum on Ovarian Cancer will continue to foster knowledge sharing and knowledge creation in the ovarian cancer research community and will be used to systematically update the research landscape, modify our own research target areas and refine our research portfolio.
There will be an Annual Ovarian Cancer Action Workshop for all scientists and clinicians funded by Ovarian Cancer Action to promote coordination and collaboration between funded researchers.
World class quality of research will be ensured through our Medical Science Review Committee, comprising leading international ovarian cancer specialists including top researchers from US ovarian cancer SPORES (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence). Independent peer review will continue to be used to determine and monitor all of our research funding decisions. This remains the gold standard of decision-making in medical research funding.
In addition to providing funding for the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Unit, and subject to independent peer review, we will offer project grants and postdoctoral fellowships to applicants from across the UK for novel high-quality work in specific research target areas.