Oxford launches paediatric oncology research programme to speed up childhood cancer treatments

The University of Oxford has launched a new paediatric oncology research programme, supported by the Little Princess Trust and the Harrington Discovery Institute, to develop more effective, targeted and less toxic treatments for children with cancer.

The initiative is designed to harness Oxford’s cancer research capabilities and move discoveries from the laboratory towards therapies that can reach young patients sooner. It comes at a time when survival rates for many childhood cancers have improved, but several cancers remain difficult to treat and many children continue to face lifelong side effects from existing therapies.

Why the launch matters

Paediatric oncology focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and research of cancers affecting children and adolescents. The aim of the new programme is to improve outcomes for children with cancer while reducing the long-term burden of treatment.

The University of Oxford said the programme will strengthen efforts to develop therapies that are more precise and less harmful. That matters because, even where treatment saves lives, the impact on a child’s future health can be severe. The new research push is intended to address both survival and quality of life.

Professor Isidro Cortés-Ciriano, who will lead the programme within Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics, joins from EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute, where he worked on childhood cancer research. His role will be to bring together expertise across the university and help translate scientific findings into treatments that can benefit children and families.

Professor Georg Holländer, Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Oxford, said the initiative marked “a major step forward” in the university’s ambition to build a world-leading paediatric oncology programme. He said the work would strengthen efforts to develop new therapies and ensure scientific discoveries are translated into real benefits for patients.

Building on Oxford’s cancer research ecosystem

Oxford said its cancer research community includes more than 900 researchers working across genetics, immunology, drug discovery, translational medicine, clinical trials and data science. The new programme is expected to connect these disciplines and deepen understanding of childhood cancers.

By linking laboratory science with clinical research, the initiative aims to accelerate the development of new treatments and improve the path from discovery to patient care. The university said this approach would help bring promising therapies closer to children who need them.

Professor Cortés-Ciriano will also work with researchers at Oxford Cancer and the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, which focuses on accelerating therapies for rare diseases, including rare childhood cancers.

Professor Matthew Wood, Director of the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, said the programme would help advance new discoveries into ground-breaking treatments more rapidly and provide renewed hope to affected children and their families.

Charity-backed investment in childhood cancer research

The Little Princess Trust is widely known for providing free real-hair wigs to children and young people who lose their hair through cancer treatment and other medical conditions. Alongside that work, it has become one of the United Kingdom’s leading funders of childhood cancer research, investing millions in projects aimed at finding better treatments.

Wendy Tarplee-Morris, Co-Founder of the Little Princess Trust, said research funding was central to the charity’s mission of improving the lives of children and young people affected by cancer. She said the organisation was proud to support the new programme and looked forward to its impact on childhood cancer research and future treatment options.

Focus on long-term therapeutic innovation

The University of Oxford said the programme reflects its growing commitment to paediatric oncology as a strategic research priority. Over time, it is expected to support new collaborations, attract talented researchers and contribute to the development of clinical trials that bring promising discoveries closer to patients.

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new treatments before they become part of routine clinical care.

Professor Cortés-Ciriano said every child diagnosed with cancer deserved the best possible chance of a healthy future. He said Oxford’s scientific expertise, clinical infrastructure and collaboration with researchers, clinicians, patient representatives and families would help accelerate the development of new treatments and improve outcomes for children with cancer.

The launch marks the beginning of a broader research effort at Oxford, combining scientific expertise, clinical collaboration and philanthropic support to advance the next generation of treatments for childhood cancer.