Black excellence in cancer research at Cambridge

Black scientists in Cambridge are driving change to help create a cancer research sector that better represents the wider population.

Among them, an organisation co-founded by a Cambridge student to champion Black excellence in cancer research is also working to empower the Black community around the disease and break down harmful stigma and misconceptions.

Black in Cancer was launched by Sigourney Bonner – with US colleague Dr Henry Henderson – while she was studying for a PhD in paediatric brain tumours at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Girton College. Its twin focuses are its Pipeline Programme, to increase the number of Black scientists in the field, and its Cancer Awareness Project, to enhance knowledge of the disease within the Black community.

“Black people are still underrepresented in research while being overrepresented in cancer mortality,” said Sigourney. “So, Black in Cancer is about addressing both of these challenges. We want to bring Black researchers to the fore, and at the same time create a trusted, and culturally informed source of information for people who are dealing with a diagnosis of cancer. We want to empower people in their healthcare decisions, increase participation in clinical trials, and get rid of misconceptions about this disease.

“Black patients are sometimes not heard, and referrals to oncologists can take longer and require more GP appointments for those from ethnic minority backgrounds. There are a number of reasons why people might be less inclined to seek help, some of those can be socioeconomic factors, for example taking time off work to go to the GP and the financial impact of that, but the reasons can be complex, and both social and cultural.”

Research by the Race Equality Foundation found that Black patients report more negative experiences of cancer care than White patients, and have limited awareness of support available. It also found that healthcare providers often have a poor understanding of the needs of Black and minority ethnic communities, particularly in cancer awareness.

And a recent study by Cancer Research UK and NHS Digital found Black women were more likely than White women to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer, when the disease is generally harder to treat. Contributing factors include a lack of awareness about warning signs, barriers to tests or treatment, and delays speaking to medical professionals because of embarrassment or not feeling confident talking about their symptoms.

In less than four years, Black in Cancer – which recently moved its headquarters to Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Institute – has established partnerships with universities and research organisations in the UK and the US, created a conference series, developed a mentorship programme, and helped Black researchers access around £1.5m of funding.

The organisation has also worked with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) on the launch of the Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Scholarship Programme, in partnership with Cambridge University, to help develop the next generation of Black scientists in cancer research and tackle barriers to progression that Black people face in accessing Higher Education, particularly postgraduate studies.  Less than 2% of UK bioscience postgraduate researchers are Black, according to CRUK’s diversity data, and only 1% of applicants. In contrast, Black people made up 4.5% of the population in the 2021 census.

“The impact we’ve had has already gone far beyond what we imagined when we started,” said Sigourney. “Back then, I hadn’t been considering anything other than making it through my PhD, to be honest! It was more like let’s just see what happens, let’s try and bring people together – maybe we’ll have a Slack channel, maybe we can connect and dispel some of the myths around cancer in the community. We’ll do that and go from there. But we didn't expect this level of support – for our programmes to grow this big. And obviously we can't stop now!”

Black in Cancer began in the summer of 2020, amid a number of social justice movements, including Black Lives Matter.

“It led to conversations about spaces for Black people within different communities, particularly spaces that aren’t necessarily deemed those that Black people frequent,” said Sigourney. “And for me, personally, until I started my PhD I’d never met a Black woman with a PhD, and by that point I’d done an undergraduate degree, and a year in industry at two different pharmaceutical companies. I hadn’t met anybody who looked like me to aspire to, and so I wanted to be that person for Black researchers starting out, to provide inspiration, resources and support.”

Sigourney, whose focus as a Human Physiology undergraduate at Leeds University was neuroscience, moved into cancer research after graduating, and following a family member’s cancer diagnosis. “It had a big impact on our family, and it was a very challenging time. Cancer is something that a lot of people have in common, and statistically just under one in two of us will be diagnosed in our lifetime. Cancer unites us and I think that made me want to be a part of the journey and help people. So I thought, maybe I can take a foray into that area, and I moved to AstraZeneca for three and a half years. There was so much going on, so many different projects, but that was the first time when I could really see myself in this space.”

Encouragement to pursue a PhD had come first from a lecturer during a summer studentship at Leeds years before, and then from a supervisor during her time at AstraZeneca. “They were amazing, both women, and they assured me I was more than able, that I could succeed, and were so supportive in my journey. And as an organisation we would never say people from other backgrounds can’t be great mentors for Black students, but you just have to be aware of some of the particular challenges that the Black community faces.

“Visibility is, of course, vital. Just because somebody can see a job exists doesn’t mean they feel it’s achievable, so seeing Black scientists working in this field is really important. Because without that you can subconsciously narrow your options, and not even be aware you’re doing it.”

And there is also the practical side of getting into such a specialist area. Black in Cancer offers guidance to students taking their first steps in research, for example choosing the right university to get the experience they need.

“Just being able to navigate through all that, for people who are the first in their family or network to be choosing this path, is a big deal. So what we can do is communicate that kind of cultural capital and knowledge, and ask them ‘have you thought about this?’”

In 2022, Black in Cancer collaborated with CRUK on its inaugural conference at the Science Museum in London, which brought together leading Black cancer doctors, researchers, and patient advocates from across the world. And last month, its first US conference was held in partnership with the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, at the Natcher Conference Center in Maryland.

“When we started, conferences were in our 5-10-year plan, so to have done the first one by year two was incredible,” said Sigourney. “To be able to bring together all of these different communities, including research and advocacy, and foster connections, has been extraordinary.”

But as well as the larger scale accomplishments, Sigourney says the difference Black in Cancer has been able to make to the lives of individuals has been just as rewarding.

“It’s people emailing us, telling us their brother or their aunt has been diagnosed and not knowing what to do. And I’ve been able to speak to them, and tell them where they can get more information, and what questions to ask at their next appointment – which details they should make a note of. For me, on a personal level, the biggest impact is playing a part in someone’s experience and letting them know they’re not alone in this journey.”