Irish and US researchers join forces in battle against prostate cancer

A new collaboration between Irish and US academic and medical research institutions is being established to make significant strides in our understanding and treatment of prostate cancer over the next three years.


Applications are invited for the Professor John Fitzpatrick Research Fellowship – the first research initiative to be announced under the recently established ‘Boston-Ireland Prostate Cancer Collaboration

The Boston-Ireland partnership, which involves the Irish Cancer Society, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will fund an Irish scientist or clinician to undertake high quality research into prostate cancer over the next three years.


The strategic partnership offers an opportunity for prostate cancer researchers in Ireland to establish and develop a lasting collaboration with experts in the world-renowned research facilities in Boston, with the ultimate aim of making a significant impact on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of prostate cancer.

The fellowship is named in memory of the late Professor John Fitzpatrick, the former Head of Research at the Irish Cancer Society, who made a significant contribution internationally to research, particularly in the field of prostate cancer.

The research initiative will advance our understanding of prostate cancer and identify potential new treatment approaches for the disease, which affects nearly one in six men in Ireland and the US.

The collaboration will support an emerging Irish researcher to travel to Boston for two years to carry out cutting-edge research and gain invaluable experience and expertise in a world-renowned institute.

The Fellow will then return to Ireland to further develop their research and share their learning. The Fellowship, which will invest up to €270,000 into the area of prostate cancer research, is supported by Sanofi and Janssen.

Head of Research at the Irish Cancer Society, Dr. Robert O’Connor (pictured above) said: “The Professor John Fitzpatrick Research Fellowship will build on the existing strengths we already have in prostate cancer research, synergising expertise in the prostate cancer fields in Ireland and the US for the first time to make a real difference in our understanding of this challenging disease and improving outcomes for men on both sides of the Atlantic."

 "Nearly 3,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually in Ireland, a number set to double in under 25 years, so research initiatives like this are vital if we are to try to develop the next generation of prostate cancer research leaders and give the best outcome to patients into the future”. 
 Associate Professor Christopher Sweeney, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School added, “It is a great honour to be a part of the Boston-Ireland Cancer Collaboration and the process to unite the intellectual power of the Irish prostate cancer research community with that of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public of Health." "The Fellowship will forge ties which will lead to ongoing and productive collaborations for years to come”. 
 The Fellowship is open to researchers and clinicians in the prostate cancer field in Ireland.

The deadline for expressions of interest in this new fellowship programme is October 12th and it is envisaged that the successful candidate will commence the fellowship programme in mid-2016. 

Find out more information on how to apply for the John Fitzpatrick Research Fellowship