Let's Talk About Brain Tumours!

Brain Tumour North West (BTNW) works in collaboration with UCLan to conduct ground-breaking research on brain tumours, in order to improve patient diagnoses and treatments.

Brain tumours are the 9^th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 3% of all new cancer cases. The most common type of brain tumour is known as a glioma, and these tumours account for approximately 70% of all new brain cancer diagnoses. These tumours develop from glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) which have a variety of roles, including: maintaining the blood-brain barrier, protecting neurons from pathogens and providing neuronal insulation for fast signalling. Therefore, gliomas are often associated with a poor prognosis and survival rate.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) divides gliomas into four grades, with Grade IV gliomas (glioblastomas) being the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumours in humans. Glioblastomas are most common in 45-65 year olds, affecting more men than women, and they are associated with a poor prognosis, with median survival rates ranging from 1-3 years. Therefore, novel and more effective therapeutic approaches are desperately needed.

Various members of staff at UCLan are working hard to identify novel treatments for glioblastoma, as well as developing new models to improve the way glioblastoma are examined in a laboratory environment.

Examples of staff members and some of their research projects are listed below:

Dr. Philip Welsby:

• Examining the anti-cancer effects of aspirin and similar molecules.
• Development of a drug delivery system for asiatic acid.

Dr. Jane Alder:

• Identification of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid.
• Development of an in vitro blood-brain barrier model.
• Pharmacokinetic stability of aptamers.

Dr. Gail Welsby:

• Examining the role of dietary supplements.
• Nanoparticle design for the release of asiatic acid.

Dr. Leroy Shervington:

• Development of 17-AGG and siHSP-90 as a combinational therapy.
• Investigating HSP-70 as a biomarker.

The research conducted by staff at UCLan has the potential to completely redefine the way glioblastomas are treated. Furthermore, through the use of research-informed teaching, this will vastly improve your understanding of cancer and provide you with copious opportunities to gain research experience as a student, thus making you extremely desirable to future employers.

But, in the meantime, more information about the research being conducted in collaboration with Brain Tumour North West can be found on their website: http://www.btnw.org.uk/

Thank you for your time,

Rosemary Taylor
3rd year Neuroscience Student

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