Scottish charity awards nearly £4mil to cancer research projects

A Scottish charity has awarded nearly £4 million to fund 20 new cancer research projects around the world.

It follows a Dragons' Den-style meeting involving researchers from all over the world.

The 20 research projects will involve researchers from labs in the UK, US, Argentina, Europe and Australia.

Dr Helen Rippon, chief executive of Worldwide Cancer Research, said: “We are so thankful to our generous supporters for raising the money we need to support these pioneering researchers.

“We are delighted to invest £4 million into some of the most innovative and exciting research taking place all over the world.

“As a charity, we have been funding cancer research for nearly 40 years and we believe that our global search for answers will one day help stop cancer consuming lives and shattering families.''

Dr Pierre Guermonprez of King's College London, will receive £242,312 to investigate how Crispr gene-editing could be used to bolster a person's immune system in the fight against cancer.

At the University of Sussex Professor John Spencer received £187,500 to drive a drug discovery programme.

A further £151,614 was awarded to Dr Diego Laderach of the Iquibicen-Conicet, Argentina, to develop a new type of immunotherapy for prostate cancer.

Professor Salvador Aznar-Benitah of Spain, meanwhile, received £208,334 to determine how fats in our diet might contribute to the spread of oral, skin and breast cancer