Inaugural Consultation Forum Launches Vision for All-Island Oncology Innovation Cluster
The All-Island Cancer Research Institute hosted the Inaugural Consultation Forum for the proposed All-Island Oncology Innovation Cluster on 18 May in Dublin, bringing together leaders from industry, healthcare and academia, to explore how greater collaboration across the island can accelerate oncology innovation and improve patient outcomes.
The forum marked an important first step in shaping a shared vision for a coordinated, all-island approach to cancer innovation, with discussions focused on identifying the priorities, challenges and opportunities that will inform the future development of the cluster.
Establishing a Shared Vision
Opening the event, Prof. William Gallagher outlined the ambition behind the proposed cluster and highlighted the importance of building a connected ecosystem capable of supporting world-class oncology innovation across the island of Ireland.
International perspectives were provided by Dr Arantxa Sanz, CEO of the Catalonia Health Cluster, who shared insights into how cluster-based collaboration has helped drive innovation, investment and international competitiveness within Catalonia’s healthcare sector.
The forum also featured an industry panel moderated by Prof. Mark Lawler of Queen’s University Belfast, with representatives from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, digital health, and clinical research organisations discussing the barriers and opportunities currently shaping oncology innovation on the island.
A recurring theme throughout the day was the recognition that while Ireland possesses significant expertise, talent and infrastructure, these strengths are often fragmented and insufficiently connected.
The Value of a Cluster Approach
Participants highlighted the significant value an all-island cluster could provide. Discussions identified several areas where a cluster approach could deliver meaningful impact, including:
Strengthening collaboration between researchers, clinicians, industry and policymakers
Increasing clinical research scale and capacity through multi-centre cooperation
Improving access to Phase I and investigator-led clinical trials across the island
Helping retain and develop innovation locally rather than exporting discoveries abroad
Enhancing awareness of available research expertise, infrastructure and innovation activity
Supporting earlier diagnosis and improving patient access to innovative therapies
Creating stronger pathways for commercialisation and technology transfer
There was also strong support for the cluster acting as a collective voice for the sector, helping to influence policy, address regulatory barriers and advocate for long-term investment in oncology innovation.
Key Themes Emerging from the Stakeholder Discussions
Participants emphasised the importance of creating stronger cross-border connections between healthcare, academia, industry, and government, particularly in relation to clinical trials, research collaboration, and patient access to innovation. Improved coordination between centres north and south was identified as a key opportunity to increase clinical trial capacity, reduce delays, and enable broader patient participation.
Stakeholders also highlighted the value of creating dedicated spaces for mentorship, matchmaking, teaching, and knowledge exchange, allowing organisations to better leverage existing expertise and infrastructure across the island. Improving visibility of ongoing research activity, available expertise, and collaborative opportunities was seen as an important role for the proposed cluster.
Additional themes emerging from the discussions included the need to improve access to healthcare and research data, strengthen support for investigator-led clinical trials, and accelerate diagnostic and treatment pathways to enhance patient access to innovation and improve outcomes.
Looking Ahead
The insights gathered during the consultation forum will inform the next phase of development for the proposed All-Island Oncology Innovation Cluster. As discussions continue, we aim for stakeholders across industry, healthcare, academia and policy to work together to shape a cluster capable of accelerating innovation, attracting investment, supporting research excellence.
We intend to continue these important conversations through future consultation forums and stakeholder engagement activities, helping to ensure that the development of the cluster remains collaborative and inclusive to the needs of the oncology and digital health community across the island.
