Trusted research programme
Through our research data strategy, we’re unleashing the potential of data-driven research to improve our understanding of cancer and create better outcomes for patients. Our new trusted research programme supports this by helping to maximise the safe and effective collection and reuse of cancer-related data.
We offer support for researchers dealing with sensitive health and related data, including anyone harnessing the latest approaches in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), 'omics' and population scale data processing. You can also contact us for advice, such as technical support for research and information governance requirements.
We also offer access to our own trusted research environment (TRE) for researchers across the UK who don't have a suitable, safe set-up to store and analyse patient data. Our TRE can provide access to HPC facilities for advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI development.
The 4 service areas of our trusted research programme
Technical advice and consultancy
- Advice, guidance, and education around NHS (and other) data access processes
- Health Research Authorities’ compliance
- Accredited research and information governance training
- Advice regarding cancer-specific routine datasets
Exploring Data Reuse
- Review of Cancer Research UK models of consent
- Development of data wrangling, archiving, and cataloguing in line with the findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) principles
- Liaison with Cancer Research Horizons on industrial licensing
Provision of TRE infrastructure
- Ultra-secure and certified (NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit and ISO 27000 series) cloud computing environment
- High performance computing
- Statistical disclosure control
Data and informatics policy support
- Specialist advice for policy development
- Partnering with data custodians
- Analysis and influencing of health and research data law and regulation
Who is eligible for this support?
If you’re thinking about applying to us for a research grant for data-driven studies contact us as early as possible in the planning process. You can also request help and support if you’re already funded by us.
We don’t require the research we fund to use our trusted research programme services or environment. That means grant application outcomes and existing grant funding arrangements won’t be affected by your choice to work with this team.
What's the application process?
To start the process, you’ll need to submit an expression of interest form. Once we receive this information, we’ll contact you to explore your needs whether that’s technical advice, access to our TRE or both.
For access to our TRE, we’d first create a proposal for you to submit with your grant application including full costings for set up such as:
- storage and network access
- access to the system
- any additional software licences that will be required (where your institution will need to fund the licenses if the grant application does not cover it)
Full details on additional requirements (such as standard training and contracts) will be provided by the trusted research programme team.