Junior Investigator Network Group (JING) 2025 – Training the next generation

At the end of January, the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) held their annual Junior Investigator Network Group (JING) training event in Manchester.

The ECMC supports Junior Investigators from early career stage through to becoming independent researchers. The annual two-day event provides networking and learning opportunities for both clinical and non-clinical trainees.

Around 50 Junior Investigators were nominated by their ECMC Lead to attend the event this year. They were joined by many of the ECMC leads and faculty, alongside CRUK staff, and 8 excellent patient representatives, who shared their extensive knowledge and experience of patient involvement in research.

For the first time, the patient representatives were involved as part of the faculty in the Study Design Task on Day One of the conference. They provided advice to the junior investigators about the best way to involve patients in the design and delivery of a clinical trial.

Day two of the event had a specific focus on patient involvement, with the morning session being led by Alison Reeve (CRUK Involvement Manager), Steve Clark (Patient Representative and CRUK Involvement Network member) and Dr Lynley Marshall (Paediatric Clinical Research Lead, The Royal Marsden Hospital). The session was a mix of presentations giving an overview of patient involvement in research, and group discussions facilitated by the patient representatives on writing a lay summary and the different ways to involve people affected by cancer in their research. It was an excellent opportunity for the trainees to increase their knowledge and understanding of patient involvement, its importance, and how it can positively impact the quality and relevance of early phase cancer research.

Steve Clark co-delivered the opening presentation with Alison Reeve, and shared his personal story, motivation, and passion for being involved in research.

This is my second time as part of the Patient Representative faculty at JING, and this time I was honoured to give a presentation on the importance of patient involvement in research. This is such an important course to help new investigators gain key skills as they start their careers in research, what makes it so valuable is that the patient voice is equal to clinical faculty members and is clearly valued. The delegates I worked with over the course clearly enjoyed it and their research proposals could well help to shape the future of cancer care. We’re building on huge successes in cancer research which has led to major advances in clinical success – we are standing on the shoulders of giants, and this next generation of researchers can take it to new heights. We are no longer chasing cancer; we are beating it!

Junior Investigators also shared their thoughts on the patient involvement session:

- The insight from the lay reps about communicating research to patients and the public across all two days was really valuable.
- Excellent facilitator. Very engaging and good at promoting participation from all members of the group.
- Very well done and thought through.
- Excellent session.

ECMC are offering the 2025 cohort an expanded year long programme of support. The patient representatives look forward to further opportunities to support the trainees with their activities over the coming year.