King's College London

The Experimental Oncology Programme is focused on the development of new treatments for solid tumours.

The Programme brings laboratory investigators expert in cancer biology together with clinical researchers, especially oncologists specialising in early phase trials. The aim of the Programme’s activities is to accelerate the translation of laboratory advances into effective and safe novel therapies for solid tumours. Core activities of the Programme are based within the Early Phase Trials Unit, on the Guy’s campus. This runs a portfolio of studies suitable for patients with a diversity of cancer diagnoses, as well as more specific trials conducted in a specific disease, often in close collaboration with relevant multidisciplinary clinical teams.

A number of Programe research projects overlap with the Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy Programme, and one of our principal aims is to bring novel immunotherapies, including those discovered at King’s, into the clinic. Other particular areas of expertise include adoptive cell therapies, imaging in trials, and early phase studies in molecularly selected populations.

The Programme is closely allied with the KHP Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC). Many trials within the Programme are run in collaboration with other ECMC centres nationally, and with other trials units internationally. Many of our translational projects are supported by funding from Cancer Research UK, especially the Centre for Drug Development.

Clinical and GMP manufacturing activities are based in the KHP Clinical Research Facilities. Many investigators in the Programme have clinical roles at KHP hospitals within the Cancer Clinical Academic Group.