Two Cardiff cancer researchers awarded Springboard grants from Academy of Medical Sciences
10 April 2025
Two researchers based at Cardiff University’s Systems Immunity Research Institute have been recognised through the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard awards.
Dr Carly Bliss and Dr Mat Clement are cancer researchers developing new immunotherapy treatments. Both are part of the Systems Immunity Research Institute and part-funded by Wales Cancer Research Centre.
Dr Bliss is a Lecturer in Cancer Immunology and her research explores the use of adenoviruses, which cause common viral infections like colds, as cancer immunotherapy agents. Her work focuses on developing pre-clinical therapies that harness and redirect antiviral T-cells against cancer, as well as cancer vaccine strategies that deploy adenoviruses as vaccines to prime anti-tumour immune responses.
Dr Clement is a Research Fellow in neuroimmunology and his research is focused on glioblastoma (GBM), the most common form of brain cancer in adults. GBM causes aggressive brain tumours and there are currently no effective treatments. Dr Clement looks at the role of T-Cells in GBM and whether immune responses can be ‘fine-tuned’ to create better immunotherapies and improve survival rates.
I am thrilled to have my research supported by The Academy of Medical Sciences and am humbled to stand amongst the excellent scientists who have also received this support. This Springboard award will enable me to grow my research group and explore new ways to tackle cancer by using viruses to stimulate the immune system. The current target of this research is pancreatic cancer and cancers of the head and neck. Longer term I hope to expand our immunotherapeutic approaches to a wide range of solid tumours.
The Academy of Medical Science’s Springboard programme supports early career researchers pioneering innovative approaches to tackle urgent health challenges. This round has supported 62 promising scientists across 41 UK institutions, including two from Cardiff University. Each researcher will receive £100,000-£125,000 over two years alongside mentoring and career development support to help establish their independent research careers.
I’m over the moon to receive this funding from the Academy of Medical Sciences. This funding will allow me to investigate some of the key reasons behind why Glioblastoma (GBM), which is untreatable brain cancer and one of the most poorly survived cancers, is able to grow unchecked and freely in the brain. This will hopefully inform new ways to allow me to design more effective immunotherapies for GBM and give new hope to patients with this devastating disease.
We are delighted that two of our rising stars in the Systems Immunity University Research Institute have been recognised by this prestigious award. Carly and Mat are developing ground-breaking research programmes in Immuno-oncology, and the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Awards will provide the perfect platform for them to take their research forward to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.
The Springboard programme is supported by UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Wellcome and the British Heart Foundation and this year’s record-breaking funding round marks a decade of Springboard awards, bringing the total investment in the next generation of research leaders to £43.8 million since the scheme launched in 2015.
