Prof Nic Jones speaks about the translational research carried out at the Paterson Institute and how the development of the new patient treatment centre at The Christie in Manchester will increase the capacity for clinical trials threefold. The early clinical trials are closely linked with translational laboratory based biomarker research including the identification and validation of new biomarkers, the development of new biomarker assays and the biobank. Prof Jones explains how the design of the new patient treatment centre will benefit patients and discusses the drug discovery centre in Manchester. This new drug discovery centre, together with the increased capacity of the imaging centre, clinical pharmacology and early phase clinical trials will help build a more comprehensive multidiscipline approach to cancer care. Prof Jones concludes by discussing research planned at The Christie into resistance to radiotherapy and combination trials of radiotherapy and radiosensitiser drugs.