Institute for Cancer Research has since its foundation in 1954 played a central role within the field of cancer research both in Norway and internationally. The Institute has seven research departments and more than 380 employees. About 70% of the employees and projects are externally funded. Read more
See introductory video with welcome to the ICR
Three Oslo University Hospital scientists received prestigous awards for their outstanding research on June 6th 2025.
The major prize - the "Excellent Researcher Award" - went to Per Kristian Eide.
Ibrahim Akkouh and Mehrdad Rakaee both received the "Early Career Award".
The prize money - 400.000 and 200.000 NOK respectively - is earmarked for research activities.
The awards are distributed annually in order to honour excellent scientific work. The awarding process is organized by the hospital's research committee, while an external Scientific Advisory Board has evaluated the candidates.
In order to stimulate excellent research and draw attention to the hospital's research activity, Oslo University Hospital rewards outstanding publications twice a year. Six research groups were awarded for their excellent papers published the second half-year of 2024 during a ceremony on May 27th. Each group received NOK 50.000 earmarked for further research, and the prize winners gave short presentations of their main findings.
On May 15th, 2025, the European Commission approved the project “Validated non-invasive liquid biopsy tests for cancer PREDIction in LYNCH Syndrome, PREDI-LYNCH". The project officially starts on May 1st and is funded by the European Commission Horizon Europe Mission on Cancer with 13.6 million Euro (project number 101213916). PREDI-LYNCH will run for six years (2025-2031), and the consortium consists of 28 partners from 16 European countries. The initiative is led by researcher Mev Dominguez Valentin at the Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital (OUH). In addition, the University of Oslo (UiO) and Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) are partners in this ambitious research and innovation project.
The Norwegian Cancer Society awards the King Olav V Cancer Research Prize each year to a researcher who has particularly promoted the quality of Norwegian cancer research. The prize was first awarded in 1992 and Karl-Johan Malmberg is the 34th winner of the prize, which amounts to one million NOK. He has been honoured with the prestigious prize for his groundbreaking work on how the body's own cells can detect and eliminate cancer. Malmberg is professor at the University of Oslo and head of the Natural Killer Cell Biology and Cell Therapy research group at the Institute for Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital.
All medicine and health research in Norway has been evaluated by Norges forskningsråd in 2023-24 (aggregated report published April 8, 2025, link below). At the Institute for Cancer Research (ICR), Oslo University Hospital and Det medisinske fakultet UiO, our six research departments in ICR with >370 employees in 26 research groups, 29 project groups and seven core facility units were evaluated separately as six units (Cancer Genetics, Cancer Immunology, Molecular Cell Biology, Molecular Oncology, Radiation Biology, Tumor Biology). As Head of the ICR, I am very proud to say that our large and professional research organisation was evaluated as internationally excellent to outstanding on research quality, very strong to outstanding on organisation and with considerable to extensive societal impact!
The Institute for Cancer Research at Oslo University Hospital's Annual Report for 2024 is now available online and celebrates the institute's 70th Anniversary (founded in 1954). Alongside key figures and display of our outstanding research, we report on recruitment, training and career development, translation and innovation, dissemination, public outreach, and collaboration in Norway and abroad.
ICR groups are key partners in over 20 clinical trials and leaders in more than 120 translation and innovation projects, many of which involve collaborative efforts with industry partners. Our 370 employees in six research departments, 26 research groups, 29 project groups, and seven core facility units represent a vibrant environment and a fully-fledged cancer research organisation. Our staff's engagement in scientific and public discourse through talks, meetings, events, and media appearances underscores our proactive approach to knowledge dissemination and societal impact.
Read more in the Annual report here: Single page format - Double page format
