Research highlights

Every year we fund researchers to make big discoveries in ways to prevent cancer, improve the quality of life of people living with cancer, and increase our understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular links between diet, weight, physical activity and cancer.

In 2022, we awarded the largest amount of funding to date. WCRF awarded a total of £5.1 million to support 19 grants.

The 19 successful research projects will investigate a range of cancers and risk factors, including investigating the impact of vitamin D, western-style diets, and social inequalities on cancer risk, as well as the potential role of maternal folate in childhood leukemia.

World Cancer Research Fund has once again partnered with Cancer Australia to co-fund three research projects based in Australia. These projects will focus on investigating the relationship between childhood behaviours and adult cancer risk, as well as the effects of cognitive and physical activity on cancer survivors.

Here are some of the recent, scientific highlights from our previous grants:




Mechanisms research

An important part of our understanding of cancer prevention is mechanism research. This is when we not only looking at what increases the risk of cancer, such as alcohol, but how it increases the risk – such as through damaging our DNA’s ability to repair itself.

Find out more about our commissioned research in this area