Stars in oncology sought

Manchester University is seeking 30 world-class academics for its Cancer Research Centre in a drive to improve medical research. The initiative will include up to 300 new posts.

The university, backed by Cancer Research UK, Christie Hospital Trust and Manchester's Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, aims to more than double cancer-related research activity in Manchester over the next five years and to become a world leader in basic, translational and clinical research. It plans to invest up to £70 million in new facilities and as many as 300 academic jobs, including the 30 top posts. The successful candidates can bring their existing research teams or create their own.

Up to £50 million has been earmarked for new facilities to support multidisciplinary research programmes. The aim is to promote interaction between basic and clinical researchers allowing advances in the laboratory to be swiftly translated into treatments.

The centre is in discussions with candidates to fill chairs in breast oncology, molecular pathology, positron emission tomography imaging, haematology and associate directorships in basic, translational and clinical research.

Nic Jones, director of the centre and of the Paterson Institute, said: "In particular, we are looking for iconic figures and rising stars."

Professor Jones said Manchester was unique. "We have the Christie Hospital, which is the biggest cancer specialised hospital in Europe, as well as CRUK behind the largest single campus university in the country."