This lab exists because families believed that understanding cancer evolution could change outcomes for children.
These organisations do more than fund research. They take risks when others cannot. They back ideas before they are proven safe. They trust that real breakthroughs require new ways of thinking.
Little Princess Trust, together with CCLG, were the first to support my independence in childhood cancer. Their early trust was a powerful vote of confidence, not only in me, but in the idea that progress will stall without new conceptual approaches to cancer evolution and adaptation. That belief shaped our research from the beginning.
https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/news/researcher-takes-on-new-heights
Alice's Arc supported the development of a new molecular recorder designed and built within our lab. They chose to fund a seed, an unproven but ambitious invention, understanding that without risk, there can be no genuine breakthrough. Their support enabled us to generate preliminary data that later underpinned a Cancer Research UK Career Establishment Award, which would not have been possible through larger, more conservative funding routes alone.
More recently, the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust supported work on an exceptionally rare childhood cancer. Their commitment made it possible to ask difficult questions about rare diseases within already rare cancers.
It has been—and continues to be—a privilege to work closely with these funders : to understand their hopes, their strategies, and their unwavering focus on children and families. Their support has shaped not only our science, but the values of this lab.
We look forward to continuing this work together, and to building on these shared commitments in the years ahead.
If you have any questions about our research, or would like to discuss ideas, priorities, or future directions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.