THE SIR Bobby Robson Foundation is funding a new team to develop more cancer research projects.

Clinical trials are at the heart of the charity and, every year, progress is made testing new drugs at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

Funded by a £433,838 grant, a new team based in Newcastle will work closely with NHS Trusts across the across the North to help answer important questions about cancer by ensuring research is designed in the best way possible.

Based at Newcastle University, The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation Clinical Trials Design Team works with cancer researchers – the clinicians and scientists known as ‘investigators’ – to design and develop new trials.

The findings will not only benefit patients with cancer in this region, but also nationally and internationally.

James Wason, Professor of Biostatistics at Newcastle University, and Rebecca Maier, Deputy Lead of the Newcastle CTU are project leads on the new team.

Prof Wason said: “People have questions they want to answer for patients and, if you have a good research question, then you then need to answer it using strong and suitable methods.

“That’s what this team does. Our role is to develop and advise on clinical research trial design before proposals go forward for potential funding. We help to make sure the trial will answer the research question with high-quality information, and can be delivered successfully.”

Working alongside the Department of Health funded Research Design Service North East and Cumbria and the Newcastle CTU, the ‘Sir Bobby team’ focuses solely on cancer and is already working with clinicians and researchers from across the region.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation Clinical Trials Design Team is working to develop trials across a broad range of cancer research topics and collaborate with investigators to seek industry and government funding for these.

In addition to the many possibilities for future cancer research, the team will expand and build on research studies already underway, including avoiding side effects for breast cancer patients and prevention of bowel cancer. There are also plans for a prostate cancer research project.

Rebecca Maier, Deputy Lead of the Newcastle CTU, said: “By working together, we can build strong trials and robust research. Each team member has different expertise and we bring that to our meetings.

“It makes a huge difference to patients because, if you don’t design a trial well, you won’t be able to get the answers to important research questions. We want all patients to get the best possible treatment, and we know how important having high quality research is for this, so we have to get it right.

“This funding has given us more time to focus on cancer trials, especially early experimental trials within this region. We’re so privileged to have the funds for this and very grateful to everyone who has supported the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and helped make this possible.”

Late football legend Sir Bobby launched his Foundation in 2008 and it has gone on to raise more than £14 million. It works with the NHS and other leading charities and organisations to find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer.