Professor William Gallagher:

I thank an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputies and Senators for the opportunity to meet today to provide an update on AICRI's progress and future plans. Since our first meeting with the committee in October 2021, we have made substantial progress towards realising the vision that our team presented and, indeed, that meeting was a major boost to our efforts in advancing AICRI at the time. Cancer is now one of human health's greatest challenges. It is also the number one killer of people on the island of Ireland. By 2045, someone will be diagnosed with cancer every seven minutes on this island. This is due to the expected doubling of cancer incidents among our citizens over the next two decades.

AICRI is centred on creating an overarching framework for cancer research on the island of Ireland, covering scientific discovery to the clinic. A critical feature of AICRI is facilitation of cross-Border research in key priority areas, such as precision cancer medicine and data analytics. AICRI has successfully brought together ten academic institutions throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as key stakeholders from the healthcare and charity sectors, along with industry leaders and patient advocates.

AICRI is in the process of creating an ambitious long-term programme, covering three thematic areas, namely, providing the appropriate environment for discovery science, fast-tracking new innovations into the healthcare system and developing an attractive ecosystem in the biotech sector and in allied industry sectors. Substantial progress towards this vision has been achieved since we last met. Highlights include the commencement of the AICRIstart project, which was funded via a €4 million award under the Higher Education Authority, HEA, North-South research programme, supported by the shared island fund. This grant has allowed for the creation of a unique all-island doctoral and postdoctoral research training programme in precision cancer medicine, which I have the pleasure of leading, along with my good colleague, Professor Mark Lawler of Queen's University Belfast.

By bringing together ten academic institutions on the island of Ireland in this foundational initiative, a substantial achievement in its own right, AICRIstart will catalyse a unique all-island network of excellence in cancer research. Through its broader work, AICRIstart will contribute to policy development relevant to the shared island initiative, particularly in terms of building a healthier island.

Under the same HEA North-South research programme, two additional large-scale AICRI-linked cancer research awards of €4 million each have recently started in the areas of digital health, led by Professor Aedín Culhane, University of Limerick, and Professor Mark Lawler, Queen’s University Belfast, and liquid biopsies, led by Professor Lorraine O’Driscoll, Trinity College Dublin, and Professor Paul Mullan, Queen’s University Belfast. Several additional North-South cancer research projects linked to AICRI were also funded, covering various aspects of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, as well as cancer survivorship and quality of life.

Over the last 15 months, we have organised multiple highly successful in-person, hybrid and virtual workshops covering priority research topics, such as “Living With and Beyond Cancer” and “Digital Health”. We have also brought together the representatives from the cancer charity sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as hosting dedicated workshops with cancer patients to ensure that their voice is heard.

AICRI was delighted to have the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, provide the opening address at a special showcase event held in Dublin on 28 September 2022 in collaboration with Professor John Crown’s 15th International Symposium on Translational Research in Oncology. A short video summary of this event will now be played.