The All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) is bringing together the combined strengths of cancer researchers on this island of Ireland to tackle cancer, linking international colleagues. Their mission is to provide an overarching framework for cancer research across the island of Ireland, from discovery to implementation, for the benefit of cancer patients and wider society. Through this virtual institute, they will gain a better understanding of cancer, develop more personalised treatment options and ease suffering and save lives.
AICRI is focused on deepening North/South collaboration and strengthening social, economic and political links on the island of Ireland. The Institute has 10 academic institutions across the island of Ireland involved, along with a range of other organisational stakeholders (e.g. National Cancer Control Programme of Ireland, Cancer Trials Ireland, Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network, Irish Cancer Society, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, North East Cancer Research and Education Trust) and patient advocates. AICRI is also working closely with the National Cancer Control Programme (Ireland) to establish a National Cancer Mission Hub, as part of the EU project (ECHoS; https://cancermissionhubs.eu/).
The primary focus of AICRI is on cancer research, covering the areas of cancer prevention, diagnostics and therapeutics, and survivorshop/quality of life. Over the last 3 years, they have successfully brought the entire community of cancer researchers and other relevant stakeholders at multiple research workshops and other stakeholder events.
The AICRI Steering Committee is compromised of key representatives from each of our involved institutions and particular stakeholder groups. The overall management of AICRI is run in a distributed manner, with a major programatic wing based in University College Dublin (under leadership of Professor William Gallagher) and Queen’s University Belfast (under the leadership of Professor Mark Lawler).
AICRI is keen to not only focus on the needs and interest of the cancer research community on the island of Ireland, but also look outwards to the broader international arena. AICRI has a particular focus on internationalisation of cancer research. Given our role in the establishment of a National Cancer Mission Hub in Ireland, together with the National Cancer Control Programme (Ireland), we are keen to highlight opportunities at an EU level. Indeed, we organised a highly successful hybrid EU Cancer Mission Day event in September 2023 in which a wide range of participants attended from around Europe (https://www.aicri.org/news/eu-cancer-mission-day-ireland).
