Institute for Cancer Research

Kjetil Taskén
Institute head

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 320 employees, master students included. About 70% of the employees and projects are externally funded. Read more

See introductory video with welcome to the ICR 

See full video covering all of ICR and its Departments 

Publication overview

Annual reports

Current news and events

Johanna Olweus part of research team shortlisted for Cancer Grand Challenges funding

Johanna Olweus
Johanna Olweus

Professor Johanna Olweus, leader of the Experimental Immunotherapy Group at the Department of Cancer Immunology, has been selected for the final of the Cancer Grand Challenges as part of a global research team. If successful, the team hopes to contribute in giving cancer patients new therapies.

"Reaching the final in competition with top research teams from all over the world is incredibly exciting and a great recognition of the work of my group," says Johanna Olweus.

Distinguished Guest Lecture Nov 16 by Dr. Özlem Türeci:RNA-based therapeutics and personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines

Dr. Özlem Türeci (photo: BioNTech)
Dr. Özlem Türeci (photo: BioNTech)

Dr. Özlem Türeci, Chief Medical Officer, BioNTech and Professor, Mainz University Medical Ctr & Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology visits Radiumhospitalet/OCC on November 16th to give a lecture.
Time and place: , Radiumhospitalet/OCC, Kaare Norum Auditorium
NB: Registration necessary
Dr. Tureci will also give a talk at 1800 the same day in the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters with title: “Vaccines: mRNA vaccine technology - COVID-19, Cancer & beyond”.

OUS-CCC involved in major EU grant to improve cancer infrastructures in Europe

From left: Inger Jenny Guldvik, Per Magnus Mæhle, Sigbjørn Smeland, Claudia Valverde and Anders Øverbye.
From left: Inger Jenny Guldvik, Per Magnus Mæhle, Sigbjørn Smeland, Claudia Valverde and Anders Øverbye.

OUS-CCC (Comprehensive Cancer Centre) is involved in the major EU grant CCI4EU - aimed at improving cancer infrastructures in Europe through developing or improving Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures. The project involves 55 partners and has a duration of 36 months. Work Package 4 (WP4) is "Development of personalised capacity building (CB) tailored interventions" where OUS-CCC is co-lead together with Vall d´Hebron Hospital.

OUS-CCC initiated the WP4 participation with a visit to partner and co-lead Claudia Valverde at Vall d’Hebron Hospital, Barcelona. The entourage consisted of head of OUS-CCC Sigbjørn Smeland, Ingrid Jenny Guldvik, Anders Øverbye and Per Magnus Mæhle.

Innovation conference on 27 September:Science Impact 2023 – tomorrow's solutions start today

Information from UiO Growth House:

Spend a day with great science, innovation and networking opportunities at this meeting place for academia, the institute sector, the public sector, start-ups and industry.​ The innovation conference has sessions on life sciences and energy & environment and is a part of Oslo Innovation Week 2023.

Time and place: Sep. 27, 2023 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Oslo Science Park, Gaustadalléen 21, Oslo

Read more about the innovation conference and sign up! (www.uio.no)

Call for Applications: NCMM Joint Postdoctoral Program in Molecular Life Science

The Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM) is pleased to announce the opening of the NCMM Joint Postdoctoral Program in Molecular Life Science, aimed at fostering new collaborations between NCMM group leaders (GLs) and partners from the Oslo arena. This program provides a unique opportunity for researchers to engage in joint supervision and mentorship of talented postdoctoral researchers, with the goal of advancing the frontiers of molecular life science through interdisciplinary collaborations.

Application Deadline: October 31st, 2023

Scientists from Institute for Cancer Research with two review articles on lipids

Lipids play crucial roles in cell and cancer biology, and scientists at Institute for Cancer Research have made important contributions in the field of lipid biology.

In a recent issue of the prestigious review journal, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. Kirsten Sandvig, Alicia Llorente and Tore Skotland have contributed a review on lipids in extracellular vesicles, whereas Harald Stenmark (together with collaborators at Monash University, Australia) has written a review about a particularly important class of lipids, the phosphoinositides.

Both reviews highlight the importance of lipids in cancer and other diseases, both as potential biomarkers and drug targets.