Cancer Research UK, The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust have announced the appointment of Crick group leader Samra Turajlić as the Director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute.

Samra Turajlić is group leader of the Cancer dynamics laboratory at the Crick and is a consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. 

Samra's work spans basic, translational and clinical research, and she has led numerous pioneering studies that have significantly advanced our understanding of cancer biology and treatment. 

Her work on the TRACERx Melanoma and TRACERx Renal projects has provided groundbreaking insights into the genomic signatures of cancer progression and the response and resistance to targeted therapies. Such studies are pivotal in understanding how we bring new therapies from the lab to the clinic and how we tailor personalised treatment plans for cancer patients, improving outcomes and quality of life.

Since 2024, Samra has led the UK consortium MANIFEST, which aims to understand how patients respond to immunotherapy, making treatments both safer and more effective – a major unmet scientific and clinical need.

Research at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute spans the spectrum of cancer research, including tumour-host interactions, microenvironment, biophysical regulation of tumour function, genetic and non-genetic drivers of tumour evolution, and response to therapy. 

Samra is expected to take up her new position in September 2025, taking over from Professor Caroline Dive, who has been interim director for four years.

Samra said:

I’m honoured to be taking on the role of Director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and look forward to working alongside such a talented community of scientists and clinicians. Together with its partners, the institute is poised to deliver transformational cancer research in the coming years. I am excited to lead the institute in its mission to deliver for people with cancer.

Welcoming the appointment, Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: 

Professor Turajlić is an outstanding clinician scientist with a remarkable track record in cancer research. Her leadership will enable the Manchester Institute to continue to grow as a place where world-class clinicians and scientists work alongside one another to better understand the fundamentals of cancer and apply that knowledge to transform cancer treatment in the future.

Read more on the University of Manchester website.