New cancer centre launched in Leeds

Featured In: International News

By University of Leeds Monday, May 17, 2024

Loading...

A new cancer centre launches today that draws together world class research and medical expertise from the University of Leeds and Leeds NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust.

The aim being to provide the best possible results for cancer patients worldwide.

The Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre will help set the pace for national and international progress in understanding the genetic factors and changes that cause cancer and the spread of the disease.

Collaboration is the key to the success of the Centre which will take the lead on finding new biomarkers to better understand and predict the effect drugs could have on patients.

Professor Tim Bishop, head of genetic epidemiology at the University of Leeds and chair of the Centre's Governance Board, said: " This exciting new initiative will strengthen our efforts to bring together all cancer researchers in Leeds to work together to improve the lives of cancer patients. By building closer inter disciplinary links with scientists, doctors, chemists, physicists, biologists and engineers we want to increase the pace of research, leading to improved treatments for patients.

"The centre will also help bring treatments straight from the laboratory to the clinic, meaning patients will have access to the latest available treatments."

Cancer Research UK funded research in Leeds focuses on bowel cancer, bladder cancer, (melanoma) skin cancer and kidney cancer while other high activity research areas include paediatric tumours, lung cancer and leukaemia and lymphoma.

The Centre aims to be a world leader in developing targeted therapies based on understanding the biology of the disease and how that varies among patients. It brings together the researchers and support from the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Centre will also strengthen its training for both clinical and basic scientists.

William Jones, 74, a designer, artist and poet, from Knaresborough, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2008.  The cancer had already spread to his liver.

Between surgery to remove the tumours on his bowel and liver, William took part in a clinical trial, REO 013, designed to investigate the anti-cancer activity of reovirus and its effect on liver metastases secondary to bowel cancer.  

William had no hesitation in taking part in the trial, not just because it could help him, but what it could mean for people in the future and the thought of helping future generations, moving things forward.

"This was the only trial of its type in the world, but to know that I was able to take part in it because it was available close to me in Leeds made me feel really special, like I was being picked for the world cup squad.

"I am delighted that Leeds is now a Cancer Research UK Centre.  As a Yorkshire man I am very proud that this great research is going on right on my doorstep.  The team at Leeds are top class - like the Orient Express.  I feel very fortunate to have been offered this trial."

William's most recent scan in January this year showed no evidence of cancer.

Professor Stephen Smye, director of research and development at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "High quality research and clinical care in cancer are central to the Trust's strategic objectives, and the Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre is central to achieving these goals.  Currently more than 5000 Trust patients are recruited into high quality clinical trials and other studies, and, in cancer, this high quality clinical research is driven from a world-class portfolio of biomedical research conducted in the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine.  Cancer Research UK funding will support this pipeline of leading-edge biomedical research, which aims to improve clinical outcomes in patients with cancer.

"The designation of the University of Leeds and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as a Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre is the culmination of a long-standing research partnership in oncology between the Trust and Cancer Research UK."

Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "Funding these centres of excellence is one of the charity's priorities and will enable us to work towards the goals we have set to improve the treatment and survival of cancer patients. But we continue to welcome the generous donations we receive from the public to ensure we can continue to build on what we have started today."

The centre is one of a unique chain of Cancer Research UK Centres that are being launched across the UK.  Cancer Research UK will continue to support research in Leeds to the tune of over almost seven million pounds a year.

Watch a short video about the centre

For more information contact:

Nicki Embleton or Laura Dibb, Cancer Research UK, Tel 0113 203 2434 / 07775 916502 / 020 7061 8051. Out-of-hours duty press officer, Tel  07050 264 059.

Paula Gould, Press Office, University of Leeds. Tel 0113 343 8059, Email p.a.gould@leeds.ac.uk

SOURCE

Join the Discussion
Rate Article: Average 0 out of 5
register or log in to comment on this article!

0 Comments

Add Comment

Text Only 2000 character limit

Page 1 of 1

Research Exchange

Automated Forensic DNA Methods: Relieving the Pain of Validation

Apr 21

Automation can increase a forensics lab's sample processing capacity, but it can also add to the complexity of system verification and validation.

Successful Sample Identification

Apr 1

2D Barcodes ensure that a multitude of samples can be tracked in a variety of storage conditions.

Multi-Parametric Cellular Analysis

Mar 23

Flow cytometers perform a variety of multi parametric applications and have been used for an expanding set of cell analysis applications over the past forty years.

Maintaining a Healthy Cell Culture Environment

Mar 23

Investing in best practices and products at the beginning of any experiment is the most time- and cost-effective way to approach cell culture.

Step up to the MIQE

Mar 30

Over the years, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has evolved into a readily automated, high throughput quantitative technology. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) has become the industry standard for the detection and quantification of nucleic acids for multiple application, including quantification of RNA levels. But a lack of consensus among researchers on how to best perform and interpret qPCR experiments presents a major hurdle for advancement of the technology. This problem is exacerbated by insufficient experimental detail in published work, which impedes the ability of others to accurately evaluate or replicate reported results.

Fast Optimization of a Multiplex Influenza Identification Panel Using a Thermal Gradient

Mar 30

The year 2009 was marked by the emergence of a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus that infects humans. There is a need to identify the different strains of influenza virus for purposes of monitoring the H1N1 strain pandemic and for other epidemiological and scientific purposes.

Advantages of Monolithic Laser Combiner Technology in Confocal Microscopy Systems

Jan 6

Fluorescence microscopy techniques require a reliable light source at the desired wavelength or wavelengths, with minimal downtime for maintenance and alignment. Lasers are a popular light source, although the alignment and upkeep of laser combiners is a time-consuming prospect for many users.

Size-Exclusion Chromatography for Purification of Biomolecules

Dec 2 2009

Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is a popular method to separate biomolecules based on their size. Primarily, it is applied to the separation of biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids, i.e. water-soluble polymers.

Using the Tecan Genesis Workstation to Automate a Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) Immunoassay

Mar 11

The poster describe the process involved in automating a Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) immunoassay developed to measure relative concentrations of serum antibodies against Tetanus (TT), Sperm Whale Myoglobin (SWM) and Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) in KLH-immunized volunteers.

Ensuring Quality in Assays Performed with Automated Liquid Handlers

Feb 2

The focus of this presentation is to highlight the need of ensuring quality in important assays performed with automated liquid handlers. Nearly all assays performed within a laboratory are volume-dependent. In turn, all concentrations of biological and chemical components in these assays, as well as the associated dilution protocols, are volume-dependent. Because analyte concentration is volume-dependent, an assay’s results might be falsely interpreted if liquid handler variability and inaccuracies are unknown or if the system(s) go unchecked for a long period.

Inkjet System for Protein Crystallography

Feb 1

X-ray crystallography is used routinely by scientists to obtain the three dimensional structure of a biological molecule of interest.Such information can be used to determine how a pharmaceutical interacts with a protein target and what changes might improve functionality. However, the crystallization of macromolecules still remains a serious hindrance in structural determination despite impressive advances in screening methods and technologies.

Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity in a Drosophila Memory Mutant

Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity in a Drosophila Memory Mutant

Nov 9 2009

Action selection is modulated by external stimuli either directly or via memory retrieval. In a constantly changing environment, animals have evolved attention-like processes to effectively filter the incoming sensory stream. These attention-like processes, in turn, are modulated by memory. The neurobiological nature of how attention, action selection and memory are inter-connected is unknown. We describe here new phenotypes of the memory mutant radish in the fruit fly Drosophila.

Prokariotic Cell Collection in Denmark

Nov 6 2009

I would like to know about a prokariotic cell collection in Denmark. Is there a cell bank in this country? I need a Lactobacillus strain for a fermentation assay and this information about the bank is very helpful for me.

Request for Entries

Oct 16 2009

Ask the Experts is your chance to get the answers to questions on applications, materials, methods, processes, and technologies. Email you question to bst_web@advantagemedia.com, and the editors of Bioscience Technology will find an appropriate expert to answer it. Watch this space in the future to see the questions your colleagues are posting.

STAY INFORMED: SUBSCRIBE TO

Magazine and E-mail Newsletters

Loading...
E-mail:   

MULTIMEDIA

Video:

Neuroscience Diseases of The Brain and How The Mind Emerges

Neuroscience Diseases of The Brain and How The Mind Emerges

Nov 8 2009

Dennis Choi, director of Emory Universitys Neuroscience Center, is renowned for his groundbreaking research on brain and spinal cord injury.

Podcasts:

Allen Institute for Brain Research

Allen Institute for Brain Research

Oct 14 2009

Discussed in this interview are both the mouse brain project and the human cortex project with an emphasis on the importance of these projects to neuroscience research.

Information: