What is discovery research?

Discovery research is the critical first stage of the research journey, creating a pipeline for future breakthroughs. By funding it, we help visionary scientists uncover knowledge that can lead to new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

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Cutting-edge science gives us hope.

By funding bold new ideas and ambitious projects at the start of the research journey, we can transform our understanding of how cancer works, start new cures and ultimately, reach a day when no life is cut short by cancer. 

Worldwide Cancer Research exclusively funds discovery research, the first step in the research journey, where scientists seek to uncover something new about the nature of cancer.

Unfortunately, many funders have been moving away from supporting curiosity-based discovery research, towards projects with nearer-term impact. In fact, there has been a 25% decline in funding for discovery research globally since 2006, even though it is a critical first step in the research journey. 

Every year, we have to turn down progressive ideas from the world’s brightest scientists, because we simply cannot fund them all. 

We are losing potential cures. This is why we have committed to support discovery research, as it is one of the best ways to achieve significant shifts in our understanding of cancer. 

We can’t cure what we don’t understand. Discovery research provides us with information on how cancer works, and therefore helps us to design clever ways to cure it.

Dr Michael Samuel Australia

We continuously seek radical ideas and encourage scientists to ask big questions that could break new ground.

By taking intellectual risks and exploring bold new concepts, we gather progressive and sometimes unexpected findings that could stop lives being cut short.

Curestarters support Worldwide Cancer Research because they recognise that transformative ideas can come from learning how cancer behaves. 

It can take many years to turn early ideas into outcomes, but the greatest advances in knowledge often come from unexpected places. 

The cancer research journey:

  • 1
    Discovery research - the first step in the research journey
  • 2
    Translational research - turning discovery into something practical
  • 3
    Clinical research - testing a new drug on people

Most advances that are made in the clinic originally come from basic scientific observations. If we do not invest in those, we are jeopardising the basic foundations that nurture medical progress. It is essential to support discovery research, or everything would collapse. 

Dr Maria Alcolea United Kingdom
Dr Ottersbach in her lab

Help scientists discover new cures

Curestarters help us fund more cutting-edge discovery research today, so we can bring forward breakthroughs and be ready to face the cancer challenges of tomorrow.

Cancer is a global issue

Why fund cancer research worldwide?

Worldwide Cancer Research funds innovative research anywhere in the world, because we know the best ideas in cancer research can come from anywhere.

A globe on a yellow background

Starting new cures for all cancers

Why do we fund research into any cancer?

Cancer is not just one disease. In fact, there are more than 200 distinct types of cancer - and all of them need new cures.