East Midlands MEP champions Leicester Cancer Research

Conservative MEP for the East Midlands, Emma McClarkin, visited Leicester’s Cancer Research UK Centre last week (27 February) to learn more about how its groundbreaking work is helping to save lives.

Ms McClarkin met with researchers based at the University of Leicester who focus on understanding the inner workings of cancer, finding new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.

They specialise in the treatment and management of thoracic cancers, such as lung cancer but also concentrate on colon, breast, pancreatic and skin cancers.

Emma’s visit to Cancer Research UK at Leicester University. She is pictured with Dr Meike Vogler and Sir Edward Garnier QC MP.

Ms McClarkin was able to see some of their life-saving work in action during a tour of the Cancer Research UK Leicester centre and find out how discoveries made in the lab are being turned into better treatments for cancer patients in the East Midlands and beyond.

Ms McClarkin said: “Around three people hear the devastating news they have cancer every hour in the East Midlands.*

“But the good news is Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work is helping to ensure more people are surviving than ever before.

“The dedicated researchers I met in Leicester are working tirelessly to beat cancer sooner, offering families in the region and across the UK new hope. It was an honour to see their amazing work and outstanding facilities.”

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, Cancer Research UK was able to spend around £2 million in Leicester last year on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

The Leicester Cancer Research UK Centre brings together the smartest minds from around 50 research groups located within University of Leicester departments, the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and the Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit – all working together to save more lives.

Professor Dean Fennell, Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Research Lead said “It has been fantastic to show Emma around our centre and demonstrate how scientific endeavour and collaboration are helping us to beat cancer sooner.”

Catherine Castledine, EU Public Affairs Manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re delighted to have Emma’s support in highlighting the work of the Leicester Cancer Research UK Centre.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss some of our priorities at EU level from a research perspective and particularly the EU Data Protection Regulation.

“We have a thriving community of scientists in the city who are committed to ensuring no-one’s life is cut short by cancer. But for our work to really benefit patients we need to make sure that we have the right environment in the UK to enable and foster research. ”