Research Locations

Breakthrough’s Research Centre, established in London in 1999, was the first of its kind in the UK. Thanks to its success, we have built a network of breast cancer research scientists with world class facilities with partners who share our goals. By sharing our efforts, we can make a big difference to breast cancer research.

LONDON

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre
Improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention: Our flagship research centre is our largest hub of scientific excellence. It undertakes diverse research, from understanding the genetics of breast cancer and how cancers grow and spread, through to developing new, more effective treatments and, ultimately, finding ways to prevent the disease. 

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, King’s College London
Triple-negative breast cancer: Investigating triple negative breast cancer; a poorly understood type of breast cancer that is currently difficult to treat.

Breakthrough Clinician Scientist Dr Anthony Kong based at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford:
HER2 positive breast cancer: Investigating HER2 positive breast cancer which accounts for approximately 20% of all breast cancer cases, with the aim of developing a new, more sensitive test to predict with greater accuracy whether a patient is likely to benefit from Herceptin.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, The University of Manchester
Diagnosis and treatment: This unit is exploring a promising new field of research: finding ways to interfere with breast cancer growth, in particular the way cancers use other cells in the body to help them grow.

The University of Manchester
Complementary therapies: Investigating the effect of acupuncture and self-acupuncture in managing cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, The University of Edinburgh
Hormone-sensitive breast cancer: Analysing the response of breast cancer to hormone therapy – one of the most common types of treatment for the disease – to ensure that women receive the most appropriate treatment.

Glasgow University
Breast biology: Researching normal breast development, as it is believed that the same processes that enable breast tissue to develop during puberty and pregnancy may play a role in breast cancer.

Clinical trials: Investigating new treatments for hereditary breast cancer and triple negative breast cancer, types of breast cancers for which there is currently no targeted treatment.

Causes of breast cancer: The Breakthrough Generations Study is the world’s largest and most comprehensive study into the causes of breast cancer. It will follow 100,000 women over the next 40 years or more.

Professors Ashworth and Swerdlow are also leading the largest ever study into the causes of Male Breast Cancer. This was launched in 2007 and will identify the risk factors in a disease that affects some 300 men every year.