Cancer biologist awarded Health and Care Research Wales Advanced Fellowship
16 December 2025
A Cardiff academic has been awarded an Advanced Fellowship, aiming to help develop a non-invasive test for the early detection of kidney cancer.
Dr Huw Morgan, Cardiff University’s European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, was awarded the three-year Advanced Fellowship funded by Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), to facilitate research that will enable earlier diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and address inequalities in access to care for kidney cancer.
Dr Morgan said: “Kidney cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the UK, and cases are rising rapidly. Despite this, it remains significantly under-researched and underfunded. Alarmingly, almost half of kidney cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited and survival rates drop dramatically. Early-stage detection can lead to survival rates of over 90%, yet no non-invasive diagnostic test currently exists.”
This Advanced Fellowship will allow me to focus on developing a novel, urine-based diagnostic tool to detect kidney cancer.
Funded over three years, the project will validate a panel of biomarkers in urine samples, to create a simple, accessible, and cost-effective test that could be used in a variety of settings including primary care or community settings.
The research will be delivered in close collaboration with clinical and industry partners, and with strong patient and public involvement integrated at every stage to ensure real-world impact.
I hope my work will make a difference in the early detection and diagnosis of kidney cancer – and therefore improve prognosis and patient outcomes.
