The UCD Cancer Trials Cluster was proud to attend Cancer Trials Ireland’s National Training Day 2026 on 30 January, as University College Dublin welcomed Ireland’s multidisciplinary oncology community for a day focused on collaboration, innovation and patient-centred research.

The event brought together more than 200 trainees, clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals and patient representatives to engage with cutting-edge science, evolving clinical trial methodologies, professional wellbeing and the future direction of cancer care. National Training Day 2026 also highlighted the growing importance of international collaboration, particularly at a European level, in strengthening Ireland’s cancer research impact and ensuring patients have access to innovative trials.

A Multidisciplinary Platform for Learning and Collaboration

Designed as a truly multidisciplinary forum, the programme spanned haematology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, allied health and translational research. Speakers emphasised the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in strengthening Ireland’s clinical trials infrastructure and advancing patient outcomes, while also aligning national research efforts with European cooperative trial groups and international research networks.

The day fostered valuable networking opportunities, enabling early-career researchers and trainees to connect with senior clinicians, scientists and patient advocates from across Ireland, while also recognising the role of international partnerships in accelerating trial delivery and knowledge exchange.

Beyond the “Ideal Diet”: Behaviour, Support and Quality of Life

Allied health care professionals underscored the importance of behaviour change, supportive care and quality of life as essential components of both clinical practice and research. Dietitians highlighted that their role extends far beyond identifying an optimal diet, focusing instead on supporting patients to adopt and sustain dietary changes, addressing barriers to adherence, and facilitating long-term behaviour change throughout the cancer journey.

Discussions highlighted the growing need for trials that evaluate nutrition, physical activity and psychosocial support interventions, and how embedding these approaches into cancer care pathways can meaningfully improve patient experience and outcomes during and after treatment.

Haematology at the Forefront of Innovation

Haematology was highlighted as a driving force behind many of the most significant advances in modern oncology. Experts outlined how blood cancers continue to lead innovation in immunotherapy and personalised medicine, with a particular focus on T cell biology, emerging in vivo engineered CAR T cell approaches, and strategies aimed at reducing reliance on traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy.

These advances exemplify a broader shift toward therapies that harness the immune system with greater precision and the potential for fewer long-term side effects, many of which are being developed and evaluated through international and European collaborative trials.

Immunotherapy and the Evolving Oncology Landscape

Across tumour types, speakers reflected on the expanding role of immunotherapy, from checkpoint inhibitors to novel combination strategies designed to improve response rates in solid tumours. While surgery and chemotherapy remain central to cancer treatment, presenters noted the increasing integration of targeted and immune-based therapies, often developed through multinational trials, that can transform patient outcomes and reduce treatment burden.

Surgical and Radiation Advances: Precision and Preservation

Surgical oncology sessions showcased innovations in robotic and minimally invasive techniques, enabling improved organ preservation and faster recovery for patients. These advances were framed as the result of sustained investment in surgical trials and collaborative research across centres and borders.

Empowering the Next Generation of Researchers

A recurring message to trainees was the idea of the “trial in everyone”, underscoring that impactful research often begins with clinical curiosity and an unmet need in patient care. Senior mentors emphasised the importance of cultivating protected reflective moments within busy clinical and research environments, time to observe, question and allow ideas and insights to develop. Trainees and allied health researchers were encouraged to take active roles in designing, leading and collaborating on trials, including those conducted through European research consortia, particularly studies focused on supportive care, quality of life and the integration of new technologies.

Looking Ahead

National Training Day 2026 reinforced the central role of collaboration, innovation and patient involvement in advancing cancer research. By bringing together diverse disciplines and perspectives at UCD, and by strengthening links with European and international research partners, the event highlighted the strength of Ireland’s oncology research ecosystem and its commitment to delivering safer, more effective and patient-centred cancer care.

The UCD Cancer Trials Cluster was proud to present a poster on one of our current research projects on exclusion and inclusion in cancer clinical trials.