Oxford adult centre
This centre collaborates with Oxford Cancer Trials and is embedded within the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Centre overview
In collaboration with Oxford Cancer Trials, our Oxford adult experimental cancer medicine centre (ECMC) supports approximately 80 early phase trials each year.
The centre is committed to supporting complex clinical trials, with a particular focus on lymphoid malignancies, immuno-oncology and gastrointestinal cancers. It has a broad portfolio of early phase trials covering all solid tumour sites and supports cancer prevention studies and the development of novel preventative cancer vaccines.
The centre continuously strives to integrate public and patient views in all its research activities, lowering barriers to diversity and inclusivity. It also provides a training pipeline for clinicians, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals working towards leadership in the clinical trial space.
Expertise
histopathology
immunotherapies
cancer Vaccines
lymphoid malignancies
oesophagogastric cancer
clinical trial data management
RNA biology
colorectal cancer
Patient population
Between 2024-2025
6,879
6,879 new cancer cases within the NHS trust
10%
10% recruited to clinical trials
Key contacts

Eileen Parkes - Centre lead
Eileen Parkes is a consultant medical oncologist at the University of Oxford and Churchill Hospital who leads early phase trials on innate immune engagers and novel immunotherapies. Eileen leads a lab studying the tumour microenvironment of chromosomally unstable cancer and specialising in histopathology and multiplex imaging. She champions patient access and rapid translation of discoveries.

Kathryn Room - Centre business lead
Kathryn Room is the operations lead at Oxford Cancer Trials, who implements the strategic infrastructure, governance and training programmes that are vital to delivering the centre‘s vision and drive for continuous improvement. Kathryn is responsible for day-to-day operations and works closely with internal and external partners to support high-quality, nationally recognised research delivery.

Rebecca Wiltshire - Patient and public involvement lead
Rebecca Wiltshire is the Cancer Research UK Senior Research Nurse for Oxford. Clinically, she works in the early phase clinical trials setting. She leads the centre's patient and public involvement and equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. Rebecca also has a research interest in the quality of life and treatment burden for early-phase patients.
Contact details
Early Phase Clinical Trial Unit
Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre
Churchill Hospital
Old Road
Headington
Oxford
OX3 7LE
Centre email:
epctu-enquiries@oncology.ox.ac.uk
Programme office email:
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