Half a million pounds for new research into bowel cancer diagnosis
Wednesday 7 January 2026
We’re awarding research grants to four new projects focusing on improving the diagnosis of bowel cancer.
The projects are each focusing on improving diagnosis for specific groups of patients, such as those with certain conditions that increase their risk of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is currently the second biggest cancer killer, but it doesn’t have to be. If found at the earliest stage, nine in 10 people will survive. This is why improving early diagnosis is central to our research strategy.
With these new grants, our total research funding has now reached £2.9m since 2017. These new grants will run for up to three years, and have the potential to make a real difference to people affected by bowel cancer.
The four projects are:
- Professor Suzanne Scott and Dr Yin Zhou at Queen Mary University of London are analysing data on people who develop bowel cancer in the years after tests for a suspected cancer come back clear
- Dr James Whitworth at the University of Cambridge is studying special cases of Lynch syndrome that would be missed by standard genetic testing
- Dr Christina Dobson at Newcastle University is investigating how young people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and the difficulties they can face reaching a diagnosis
- Dr Annie Baker and Professor Trevor Graham at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, are developing a non-invasive way to predict bowel cancer risk in people who have inflammatory bowel disease
Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research Policy and Influencing said: “We’re thrilled to be funding these exciting research projects. They’re all seeking to improve bowel cancer diagnosis for patient groups with specific needs, such as increased risk of bowel cancer or who may face extra barriers to diagnosis.
“Early diagnosis is a key goal of our research strategy. The earlier bowel cancer is caught, the more treatable it is —investing in vital research is essential for reaching our vision of a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer.”
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