As part of the London Cancer Hub Open Day for LFA, members of public have the opportunity for a rare glimpse inside the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery and meet the scientists leading on groundbreaking cancer research.
The Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is the largest academic cancer drug discovery and development group worldwide. Its research groups cover every aspect of new drug discovery and development, from cell and molecular biology through to chemical synthesis of new agents and their evaluation in clinical trials.
Chemistry tour and talk
During the Chemistry lab visit, we'll start with a short 10–15 minute talk explaining how drugs are developed, with a focus on the work done at the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery (CCDD). After that, we'll take you to the Medicinal Chemistry labs, where you'll see the key equipment used to create and refine chemical compounds, including purification systems.
We'll also show how we improve our compounds for drug development using x-ray crystallography.
Biology tour
During the Biology visit, you'll learn how we test new chemical compounds to find the most promising ones for clinical trials, working with cancer cells, blood, and tissue samples. Our team collaborates closely with the pharmacokinetic experts, who measure compound levels in different samples to help us understand their effects.
We'll also show you how we grow cells in different ways to predict how these compounds might work in the human body. This visit offers a unique opportunity to see science in action and discover the critical steps behind developing new medicines.
Interactive science activities
Step into a world of discovery and wonder with our hands-on science activities! Perfect for curious minds of all ages, our family-friendly workshops invite you to dive into the magic of science.
Extract DNA from strawberries using simple kitchen ingredients—yes, science can be that accessible and fun!
Master the art of precision as you use pipettes to measure tiny droplets like a true lab expert.
Meet researchers making the discoveries that defeat cancer.
