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 380 employees. 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

NPI Vaccines publication:A light-controlled vaccine technology based on PCI can significantly enhance immune responses

Pål Kristian Selbo
Pål Kristian Selbo

In a paper published as open access in NPJ Vaccines, Pål Kristian Selbo and coworkers demonstrate how a light-controlled vaccine technology based on photochemical internalization (PCI) can significantly enhance immune responses to both peptide- and protein-based vaccines when combined with synthetic dsRNA adjuvants. The findings support further exploration of PCI as an approach to improve therapeutic cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies.
The work has also been highlighted in a popular science article at forskning.no.
Selbo is head of the Photochemical internalisation (PCI) research group at the Department of Radiation Biology at the Institute for Cancer Research.

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death among adults under 50 in Norway

A new research letter published in JAMA Network Open shows that colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related death among adults younger than 50 years in Norway.

Anita Sveen and Luis Nunes
Anita Sveen and Luis Nunes
Luís Nunes, researcher in the Computational Oncology group led by Anita Sveen, is first author of a research letter examining trends in cancer mortality among people aged 20-49 years in Norway. Overall, the findings are encouraging, as cancer mortality has decreased by more than half among young adults since 1996. Significant declines were reported for the major cancer types.

Link collection - current news:News stories involving OUS researchers

Announcement from PREDI-LYNCHPREDI-ROUNDS - September 8th 2026

Please find below a Save the Date for PREDI-ROUND I, the public opening session of the first PREDI-LYNCH Annual Meeting and General Assembly, taking place in Bratislava on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, from 14:00 to 15:00 CEST.
The moderated roundtable will explore expectations, challenges and trial-specific implications for the PREDI-LYNCH and PREDI-ENDO clinical trials, with perspectives from clinical trial leaders, a patient representative and a health-policy expert.
The session will be held in a hybrid format, with the possibility to attend in person or online. Please feel free to share this invitation with relevant colleagues, clinicians, researchers, patient representatives, policy-makers and other stakeholders within your networks.

"Radical ideas" grant to Kasia Gajewska

Kasia Gajewska
Kasia Gajewska

Katarzyna (Kasia) Gajewska, a researcher in Marina Vietri’s project group at Institute for Cancer Research, has been awarded a grant of 2 MNOK under the “radical ideas” programme of the Research Council of Norway.

Her project is named “Under Pressure: Mechanosensitive Nuclear Bodies in Cancer Progression”

Cancer cells experience intense physical stress as they grow and invade surrounding tissues, yet how these forces affect the cell nucleus is not fully understood. 

 

Announcement from the OECD:OECD-EU Research and Development Careers Survey 2026

Policy debates about R&D careers draw on case studies and personal accounts, but survey data from the people working in R&D is scarce. As someone working the cutting edge of R&D, your experiences and perspectives will help policymakers and employers make better-informed decisions about R&D careers.
The OECD-EU R&D Careers Survey gives a voice to the people working in research and innovation, gathering the international evidence needed to better understand and support their careers.

Take 10 minutes to have your say, or share the link with someone who you think will find it of interest.

Take the survey Deadline: Sept 25th.

Call - application deadline 1 September:UiO Growth House seed funding for innovative researchers 2026

Announcement from the UiO Growth House:
Do you have an innovative idea based on your research for a new product or service, but need funding to develop your early-stage technology or service further?
Complete information:
Apply for seed funding NOK 50 000 or 200 000 from The UiO Growth House! (uio.no)

We have allocated NOK 1,5 million for this call. The application deadline is 1 September 2026.

  • In 2026 the UiO Growth House dedicates NOK 1.5 million to this round of seed funding to support the development of innovative early-stage ideas.
  • Each project team will work together with a UiO Growth House innovation adviser to help realise the full potential of the project. 

 

Marina Vietri receives 9 MNOK grant from Helse Sør-Øst

Marina Vietri
Marina Vietri

Project leader Marina Vietri in Harald Stenmark’s group at Institute for Cancer Research has received a grant from the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst) of 9 MNOK on the project “Uncovering hidden nuclear vulnerabilities: from mechanism to anticancer strategies."
In this project, Vietri and her co-workers will investigate a newly identified cellular mechanism that appears to help cancer cells withstand stress. By understanding how this process functions and how it contributes to cancer cell survival, the aim is to identify new opportunities for improving cancer treatment. The long-term goal is to generate knowledge that may support the development of more effective therapeutic strategies and contribute to better outcomes for patients with cancer.

More news from the archive