The WCRF International Research Grant Programme

As the principal charity in the area, WCRF International’s Research Grant Programme is uniquely dedicated to funding research into cancer prevention through food, nutrition, physical activity and weight management. To date, the programme has funded research grants totaling over £17 million. The International Research Programme was set up in the early 90’s to encourage more cancer research in the area of prevention at a global level. The Grant Programme has been a stimulous to encourage interest and dedication to this area of research.

In addition, and to encourage new scientists into this field, three of our network countries have developed Fellowship initiatives in order to attract the brightest and the best young scientists into this vital area of research.

WCRF International manages the Research Grant Programme on behalf of the countries within the WCRF global network – WCRF UK, WCRF France, WCRF Netherlands and WCRF Hong Kong. Overall, the WCRF global network has two research programmes which compliment each other in research priorities in order to have a fully comprehensive programme in furthering our knowledge of cancer prevention. Together these programmes have supported research across the globe amounting to over £64 million.

The two programmes are open to investigators from anywhere in the world. The Grant Panel, who evaluate and recommend grants for funding, is made up of leading international scientists covering a broad range of skills and experience.

To ensure that the highest quality research is funded and that the grant programme remains at the forefront of latest developments in the nutrition and cancer area, for the 2009/2010 grant cycle more is being invested in individual grants (up from a maximum of £150,000 to a maximum of £250,000 per grant).

Many grants are part of research taking place in major national and international on-going multi-centre studies, such as EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), NLCS (Netherlands Cohort Study) and ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children in the UK). Such trials, often involving thousands and even hundreds of thousands of participants, have great statistical power and robustness and enable scientists to answer questions with greater certainty than may be possible in individual studies.

The Regional Seed Grant programme, now in its fourth year, encourages innovative ideas from countries where WCRF has member organisations, i.e. France, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the UK. The new Request For Applications strand to the grant programme, launched in 2009, will focus on areas of particular topical interest and relevance.

Work funded through the WCRF International Grant Programme is presented at many leading national and international conferences, such as the International Congress of Nutrition and the International Union Against Cancer.

The latest WCRF International grant priorities are derived from the landmark 2007 WCRF/AICR Expert Report Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. They include a focus on nutrition throughout the life course (from childhood to old age), the influence of genes on cancer risk and nutrition and cancer survivors.

With the unique focus on nutrition and cancer, work funded through the WCRF International Grant Programme is contributing to our knowledge on cancer prevention at all stages of life – knowledge that can be applied both at a national and global level in the fight against cancer. I am proud to be associated with the programme.

Professor Massimo Pignatelli (Chair, WCRF International Grant Panel)

Department of Histopathology,
Bristol Royal Infirmary,
University of Bristol, UK