A leading healthcare innovation body is urging Scotland’s cutting-edge thinkers to apply for multi-million-pound funding that could help to make vital breakthroughs in the earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer

Innovate UK, on behalf of the Office for Life Sciences’ (OLS) Cancer Healthcare Goals programme, is investing up to £25.4 million in innovation-led collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects with a particular focus on helping to identify less common cancers.

With grants of between £1.5 million to £4 million available for industrial research and experimental development projects, the competition is open to collaborations with lead organisations spanning NHS, academia, or industry.

The funding will support clinical validation and evaluation of early diagnostic technologies and devices — and InnoScot Health believes it is an opportune moment for Scotland’s experts to consider applying during the window of 1 September to 28 October with guidance now available.

The organisation’s Head of Business Development, Frances Ramsay said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to not only make a real difference to patients’ lives, but also to inspire lasting change in how cancer is diagnosed and detected, while reducing strain on the Scottish health system.

“Those with promising projects can make a bid for transformational support that could help to turn idea into reality, particularly in targeting detection of cancers found outside of breast, prostate, lung, and bowel.

“Scotland is continuing to advance progressive cancer diagnostics through various approaches to catching tumours earlier and diagnosing them — whether rapid access clinical pathways, NHS Scotland-led chest X-ray trials leveraging cutting-edge AI, or pioneering imaging technologies designed by university spinouts.

“That same know-how could be applied to, or modified for, less common cancers, potentially assessing an individual’s cancer risk by considering multiple factors including genomic, demographic, imaging and biomarkers. I would urge those with relevant expertise to enter the competition.”

Projects must focus on “developing, validating or evaluating diagnostic technologies or approaches that demonstrate clear potential for clinical and health economic impact” with the aim of accelerating their development.

They can include clinical validation and evaluation studies, early phase clinical trials, safety and efficacy testing, technology demonstration in relevant and operational environments, regulatory planning, and product development activities.

Innovate UK is also looking for projects which generate robust evidence supporting regulatory approval and future NHS adoption.

Scottish consortia must contain at least one UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding on their application, as well as evidence of clinical experience, whether practising, academic, or delivery team.

Frances added: “Collaboration across the triple helix of NHS, industry, and academia is vital to unlocking multidisciplinary breakthroughs, and this competition is set to be an excellent example of that.”