Charles Craddock, CBE, FRCP (UK), FRCPath, DPhil, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, shares the success of the first National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) academy meeting held in Birmingham this September. He goes on to discuss planned NCRI trials and therapy advances. This interview took place at the 5th International Congress on Controversies in Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies (COSTEM) 2019, held in Berlin, Germany.