Decades of research and trillions of Euro of investment have led to significant advances for most people affected by cancer. However, is there a gulf between the emerging biological understanding of different cancers and the opportunities to make new advances by learning from those with a lived experience of the human side of cancer illnesses? The Irish Cancer Society is Ireland’s longest and largest non-state funder of cancer research and is on a journey to work closer with those affected by cancer to exploit new opportunities to improve the experience and outcome from a cancer diagnosis. As Director of Research for the Society, Robert O’Connor, Ph.D, will discuss why partnering with those affected by cancer has become a core part of the “DNA” of research, the challenges and learnings from this evolving aspect of research and provide some thoughts for how PPI will evolve to help inform and direct the next phase of improving care and health.