The Langmuir Fellowships
A landmark donation from the Langmuir Family Foundation will fund six fellowships over the next four years, developing the careers of future research leaders in the myeloma field.
About the Langmuir Fellowships
The Langmuir Fellowships will launch in 2026, accelerating research into novel treatments and therapies for myeloma.
The fellowships are the first multiple myeloma-focused funding source that aims to support early career investigators in the UK. They come at a vital moment – every year over 6,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with multiple myeloma, but currently only half of these people will survive beyond five years. While a number of therapies are available, we are yet to find a curative treatment.
These Fellowships will go a long way in providing a firm basis for early career investigators to set up and develop their independent research programmes and sustain myeloma research in the long run.
- Professor Anastasios Karadimitris, Co-Director Centre for Haematology, Imperial College
Investing in early career researchers
Alongside an investment in research, the Langmuir Fellowships are an investment in people – addressing a shortage of focused funding available for career development within blood cancer research. By supporting the most exceptional early career researchers as they transition towards independence, the fellowships will ensure there's a thriving community of myeloma researchers who can continue to make new discoveries and breakthroughs.
The Langmuir Fellowships have the potential to have transformative impact to the early careers of researchers. The period following PhD to Faculty is notoriously challenging with few grants available to make the transition.
- Dr Rakesh Popat, Consultant Haematologist at UCLH & Chair of the UK Myeloma Research Alliance.
Building on our commitment
The partnership builds on Blood Cancer UK’s long-lasting commitment to support blood cancer researchers throughout their career, and we are honoured to be working with the Langmuir Family Foundation to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of innovation in myeloma research – supporting the next generation who will bring us closer to the day when no one dies of this disease.
What the funding means to the research community
Our researchers tell us the impact these fellowships will have on myeloma research.
Dr Rakesh Popat
“In the past there have been very few myeloma dedicated Fellowships, which means grants are highly competitive and few projects are funded. The Langmuir Fellowships change that narrative, providing a unique opportunity for myeloma research to grow in the UK. This will encourage talented researchers to enter the field of myeloma, and allow new and existing projects to develop. These are desperately needed as we work towards preventing myeloma from developing, making treatments more effective and elucidating a cure for those that are living with it.
Dr Rakesh Popat, Consultant Haematologist at UCLH & Chair of the UK Myeloma Research Alliance
Dr Alanna Green
“Blood Cancer UK funding has been a pivotal part of my own career development. I was awarded a Project Grant to develop a new treatment for myeloma, as the principal investigator while I was a postdoctoral researcher under mentorship of a more senior academic. Following this funding, I was awarded larger fellowships and grants to fully establish my lab, and the project has since led to early phase trials with a new treatment in myeloma.”
Dr Alanna Green, University of Sheffield
Professor Anastasios Karadimitris
“Multiple myeloma, despite progress and significant improvement in the survival of patients in recent years remains incurable. There is optimism that cures for at least some groups of patients can be achieved. For this prediction to be realised, focused and intense, research needs to continue at a pace and should involve a new generation of investigators who commit to pursuing research in the field of multiple myeloma and allied disorders.”
Professor Anastasios Karadimitris, Co-Director Centre for Haematology, Imperial College
Impact
The first cohort of Langmuir Fellows will be awarded in spring 2026. We look forward to keeping this page up to date with details of the fellows awarded these prestigious grants and the progress of their projects.
Get in touch
To find out more about our commitment to funding the next generation of blood cancer researchers, please contact: [email protected]