A leading national brain tumour charity is joining forces with experts at the University in a £1.5m million partnership to fight brain tumours in children.

Brain Tumour UK has pledged £750,000 to support the work of experts at the University’s Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC), funds which have been matched by the University to support this priority research area as part of Impact: The Nottingham Campaign to raise £150m by 2015.

The funding will enable the centre to expand on three vital areas of research into brain tumours in children: the underlying biology of brain tumours, the development and delivery of new drugs to treat them and the long-term impact they can have on society.

Professor Colin Blakemore, President of Brain Tumour UK, said: “We are very excited to be joining with the CBTRC at the University and becoming part of its history of excellence. We hope that the funding from Brain Tumour UK will help to take the centre’s research to even more impressive new heights.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor David Greenaway said: “Nottingham’s vision is to be internationally recognised for our signature contributions including those in children’s brain tumour research. This generous funding from Brain Tumour UK is a fantastic endorsement of our work and a vital resource to enable us to deliver world-changing research.”

Professor David Walker, Paediatric Oncologist and CBTRC Co-Director, said: “We have faced the difficult facts of childhood brain tumours and have committed ourselves to tackling them. We have already made measurable progress and this funding will enable us to focus on the main research priorities for this devastating childhood illness.”

Brain tumours are a major cause of cancer-related deaths in childhood and adolescence, overtaking leukaemia, which has seen much improved outcomes thanks to improvements in diagnosis and treatment, due to high-profile fundraising campaigns.

Brain Tumour UK Chair Andy Foote said: “By joining with the University’s Impact Campaign, it offers us the chance to make the most of the funds that our supporters have so generously invested and gives us the opportunity to get an incredible bang for our buck.”

The CBTRC is supported as part of Nottingham: The Impact Campaign, which aims to raise £150m to help change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. Details on how to get involved with fundraising for this and other Campaign projects is available from Emma Pearson, Senior Development Manager (Health) at: emma.pearson@nottingham.ac.uk or telephone: 0115 951 3724.