The Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network (NICTN), formerly known as the Northern Ireland Cancer Clinical Trials Unit (NICCTU) was officially established in 1999 following the signing of the National Cancer Institute-Ireland-Northern Ireland Cancer Agreement.
Our local Northern Ireland DHSSPS Research and Development Office (now the HSC Research & Development Division of the Public Health Agency) provided funding for the initial infrastructure to be put in place. Today the HSC R & DD provides core funding in support of the NICTN’s continued expansion with significant additional funding being provided by the local charity, Friends of the Cancer Centre.
Recognition must also be given to a number of other organisations that have funded specific roles within the NICTN; these include Cancer Research UK Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI, Cure Leukaemia, Children’s Cancer Unit Charity and QUB Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence.
The role of NICTN is
- to co-ordinate and promote cancer clinical trials, and run the full range of first-in-human phase I to phase IV trials, along with genetic epidemiology, questionnaire, quality of life, translational and other high quality studies. Clinical trials can be designed locally (investigator-initiated) or adopted as part of a multi-centre study. Investigator-initiated trials often involve collaboration with other academic groups within local universities or hospitals
- to act as the co-ordinating centre for the Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network (NICTN) responsible for the co-ordination of cancer clinical trial and translational research activity throughout Northern Ireland, particularly randomised Phase II and Phase III trials and epidemiology studies
- to manage and support the activity of Belfast Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre
We value our close partnership with the NI Cancer Research Consumer Forum and all the HSC Trusts, funders and pharma and biotech industry.
Collaborations also include:
- NI Cancer Research Network
- iREACH HEALTH
- NI Clinical Trials Unit
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Queen’s University Belfast
- Ulster University
- Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland
- Cancer Trials Ireland
- The All-Ireland Cancer Consortium
- All-Island Cancer Research Institute
Study Adoption to the NICTN Portfolio
- The NICTN undertakes a Review and Adoption process before any clinical trial (or other clinical or translational research study of high quality design) is adopted into the NICTN portfolio. Adoption to the NICTN portfolio is an essential step for access to research support from NICTN staff or services to facilitate trial set-up and delivery.
- To initiate the review and adoption process Investigators should complete a NICTN Portfolio Adoption and Registration Application Form, available on request to nictn@belfasttrust.hscni.net.