Who we are

The Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre (OCARC) was established in 2006, and is a partnership between Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity Ovarian Cancer Action (OCA).

Under the direction of Professor Iain McNeish, OCARC is based in the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB) on the Hammersmith Campus, and is one of the largest clusters of ovarian cancer research in Europe. Other key investigators in the Centre include Professor Christina Fotopoulou (Deputy Director), Professor Hector Keun, Dr Jon Krell, Dr Marco Di Antonio, Dr Paula Cunnea and Dr Anke Nijhuis. However, the Centre aims to act as the focal point for all ovarian cancer research at Imperial College.

What we do

The over-arching strategy for the Centre will be to address clinically important questions that aim to improve patient survival by utilising the breadth of expertise in clinical, life, engineering and data sciences. Through multiple funding sources and involving investigators in the faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Natural Sciences, ovarian cancer will continue to be the focus of wide-ranging research. In the next five years, our research in risk, prevention and early detection will seek to identify women at increased risk of ovarian cancer for targeted prevention interventions and to improve the speed of detection in those with symptoms; our work in imaging will range from optimising live-cell three-dimensional microscopy with single-cell resolution to the development of machine learning algorithms and novel PET tracers in patients. We will seek to develop innovative surgical devices and novel treatment strategies that will include advanced viral and cellular therapies. We will harness the wealth of real-world data in the NHS to improve patient outcomes and continue utilise primary patient samples in our research wherever possible.

The Centre itself will continue to have the following core aims:

• To conduct basic, translational and clinical research of the highest quality.
• To work collaboratively with centres both nationally and internationally.
• To ensure patients remain at the heart of our research.

The Centre was recently refunded for a further five years, and there will be a single scientific theme in 2022 - 2027, understanding how ovarian cancer adapts over space and time. We will focus specifically on turning that knowledge into new treatment strategies in high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). We will focus on how HGSC adapts to the unique environment of the peritoneal cavity and reveal how spatial and temporal variability in HGSC drives patient outcomes.