Phase 2 kicks off for Ireland’s largest cancer research initiative
Ireland’s leading cancer research programme, Precision Oncology Ireland (POI), has received a €28 million co-funding boost to move into its second phase. The expansion aims to scale the collaborative model established in POI’s inaugural phase and to deepen ties between researchers, clinicians, industry partners, charities, and patients. The official launch of Phase 2 took place on 8 October, with Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD, presiding over the ceremony.
A collaborative model with broad backing
POI began in 2019 as a cross-sector alliance designed to accelerate personalised cancer diagnostics and treatment. It now includes five Irish universities, six cancer research charities, and seven industry companies. The programme’s architecture emphasizes co-funding from Research Ireland, industry partners, and the not-for-profit sector, creating a robust ecosystem around cancer research and patient care.
Leaders and ambitions for POI-2
Prof Walter Koch, head of the System Biology Ireland Centre at University College Dublin (UCD), leads POI. He frames the endeavour as a bridge between laboratory discoveries and real-world patient benefits. “Research is the engine behind new medicines,” Koch said, underscoring the mission to translate laboratory insights into clinical practice. Phase 2, or POI-2, is positioned to translate high-quality cancer research into practical diagnostics and therapies through advanced computer simulations of the disease. These simulations aim to tailor diagnostic and treatment plans to the unique needs of individual patients, minimizing trial-and-error approaches in therapy selection.
What POI-2 will change in practice
The first phase proved the power of a cross-disciplinary team. POI-2 will build on that success by intensifying clinical engagement, widening training opportunities for researchers, and, crucially, increasing patient and public involvement in both research and care delivery. The emphasis on patient involvement reflects a belief that patient perspectives are essential to shaping meaningful research questions, improving study design, and ensuring that outcomes align with real-world needs.
Clinical integration and real-world data
Central to POI-2 is closer integration of research with clinical pathways. This includes collecting real-world data to inform models and decisions about who benefits most from particular diagnostics or treatments, thereby supporting more effective, less invasive, and more targeted cancer care.
Patient voices at the heart of the programme
Patient advocate and researcher Siobhan Gaynor has been a standout figure in championing now-higher expectations for cancer care. Gaynor, who lives with advanced breast cancer, chairs multiple cancer research committees and has driven projects focused on patient involvement. Her work includes a 2023 survey collecting input from stage IV patients and a 2025 Irish Cancer Society Public and Patient Involvement project award. “Most stage IV cancers are incurable, although thanks to science and research, we are now living longer,” she noted. The Phase 2 plan explicitly seeks to educate the public and health service providers about the realities of living with advanced cancer and to strengthen the role of patients in setting research priorities and evaluating care quality.
Why this matters for Ireland and cancer research globally
“Breakthroughs in cancer research are most likely when clinicians, scientists, industry leaders, patients, charities and other stakeholders come together with a shared purpose,” Lawless remarked at the launch. POI-2 represents Ireland’s commitment to maintaining a leadership position in precision oncology, leveraging computational biology, cross-sector collaboration, and patient-centred approaches to accelerate the development of personalised diagnostics and therapies for cancer.
Looking ahead
With €28 million allocated for Phase 2, POI continues to position Ireland as a hub for cutting-edge cancer research. The programme anticipates deeper interdisciplinary work, enhanced training pipelines for researchers, and stronger involvement from patients and the public in shaping the research landscape and future care pathways. The ultimate aim is clear: to deliver faster, more accurate diagnoses and more effective, personalised treatments for people facing cancer, guided by data, collaboration, and the lived experiences of patients.
