ICR Harnesses Progress Sitefinity to Support its Global Cancer Research Mission
Products:
SitefinityChallenge
ICR needed a scalable, intuitive platform to deliver trusted information quickly, attract talent, increase donations and improve engagement across diverse audiences.
Solution
- Partnered with Sitefinity partner Appius to reimagine its web presence using Sitefinity CMS
- Integrated GoDonate and Eploy to streamline donation and recruitment processes
- Migrated 3,000+ content items—from clinical trials to research profiles—to preserve SEO integrity and historical relevance
Result
- Faster, more accessible user experience across devices and audience types
- Streamlined donations and increased engagement
- Greater content team efficiency with faster publishing and flexible content tools
Full Story
Challenge
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is a world-leading cancer research organization that stands at the forefront of global oncology research and is driven by a mission to defeat cancer through world-class science. But despite leading innovations in cancer treatment, ICR's previous website was holding it back. Outdated architecture, fragmented content management and limited integration capabilities made it difficult to deliver the right information to the right people at the right time.
The site needed to reflect ICR’s status as a leading authority in international research and serve its diverse audiences—from donors and patients to students and global collaborators. Each group expected quick access to trusted information via clear, empathetic user journeys. Meanwhile, ICR’s internal teams needed a content management system that was scalable, intuitive and agile enough to support a fast-evolving research landscape.
With increasing pressure to attract talent, increase donations and share critical discoveries with the world, ICR knew it was time for a digital reboot.
Sitefinity gives us the control and insight we need to support patients, researchers and donors alike.
Bhavini Mistry
Digital Workplace Manager at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
Solution
Partnering with digital experience experts Appius, ICR completely reimagined its web presence using Progress® Sitefinity® CMS. The goal was not just to redesign a website but to create a modern digital platform that truly supports ICR’s mission.
Built around the intuitive Sitefinity CMS, the new platform empowers content editors to manage and scale content quickly across departments. A modular component library introduced consistent branding while enabling flexibility in how information is presented—vital for communicating complex research to diverse audiences.
Key integrations were crucial. ICR’s GoDonate system was fully embedded to streamline the donation experience and maximize conversion opportunities. Eploy was integrated to boost recruitment capabilities, helping ICR to attract top global talent.
In addition, accessibility and speed were front and center. The platform was built to comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards, offering a responsive, high-performance experience across all devices. Over 3,000 content items—from clinical trials to research profiles—were carefully migrated using a mix of manual and scripted tools, preserving SEO integrity and historical relevance.
Result
Since launch, ICR has seen a measurable improvement in site speed, engagement and usability. Visitors can now easily find the information they need—whether they’re patients seeking trials, researchers reviewing data or donors looking to contribute.
Behind the scenes, the productivity features of the Sitefinity platform have significantly reduced time-to-publish for the content team, while key integrations are helping to streamline donations and increase engagement.
With Sitefinity CMS, ICR has laid the foundation for a scalable, data-driven platform that supports its life-saving work—and constantly optimizes its digital strategy.
Our Sitefinity-powered digital platform allows us to share vital updates, engage with our community and advance our mission more effectively than ever—while providing an accessible, high-performance experience for all.
Bhavini Mistry
Digital Workplace Manager at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
