Teenage and young adult clinical research roadmap

This roadmap sets out how we can improve access to clinical trials and biobanking, helping to support the development of new treatments and better outcomes for young people.

About the roadmap

Teenagers and young adults are under-represented in cancer research.

To address this, we created a roadmap, co-developed by researchers and teenagers and young adults (TYA) with lived experiences of cancer. The roadmap identifies ways to make research fairer, more accessible and inclusive of people aged 16–24.

Explore the full roadmap

Improving access to clinical trials and biobanking

Through collaboration with stakeholders and supporting the teenage and young adult community, we aim to:

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Raise visibility of early-phase trials

  • Build understanding, encourage discussion and trial opportunities.

  • Share tools such as EC Trial Finder to easily search for open clinical trials.

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Make TYA research more accessible and inclusive

  • Improve understanding of barriers to clinical research.

  • Raise awareness.

  • Develop best practice with practical training.

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Increase the collection and sharing of biobanking samples and data

  • Apply a consistent approach for teenage and young adult biobanking across the UK.

  • Create links between genomic, biobanking and clinical trial data.

You may also be interested in

TYA research website

Useful age-appropriate learning resource to share with your teenage and young adult patients to help demystify clinical trials, biobanking and genomics.

TYA Network Group

This group shares ongoing TYA projects and initiatives, explore challenges and strengthen collaboration across the network.

Paediatric network

Our 12 paediatric centres bring together clinicians and translational scientists to run early-phase clinical trials for children and young people affected by cancer.