Nexxus Scotland

Cancer 

Scotland is home to world class cancer expertise, from basic research right through to the latest clinical trials. Cancer researchers in the country benefit not only from continuous investment into the world class infrastructure, but also from being part of an extensive community based in a geographically small area that facilitates collaborative projects.

Much of the expertise is centred around the University of Glasgow, which is home to several world renowned specialised cancer research centres and groups, the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research and the Beatson Oncology Centre (the second largest cancer treatment centre in the UK). However other institutions have an important role to play in providing an integrated and comprehensive research capability, notably the University of Strathclyde's Cancer Research UK Formulation Unit, the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre as well as smaller research groups at the University of Stirling, Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of the West of Scotland.

This web page is designed to offer an overview of some of the cancer expertise based in Scotland, but for more comprehensive information, please visit the institutions' own web sites (listed here) or contact Nexxus who will endeavour to put you in touch with the relevant contacts. 

Beatson Institute for Cancer Research

The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research is core-funded by Cancer Research UK and provides a dynamic, supportive and well-resourced environment for its basic and translational scientists. Its mission is to understand the mechanisms that regulate cancer cell proliferation, survival and dissemination; to identify critical components of these pathways as targets for novel cancer therapies; and to help translate this knowledge to patient benefit.  

One of the key aims of the Beatson Institute is to translate its basic research for patient benefit and they are working towards this goal in two main areas; drug discovery based on biological pathways under investigation in the basic science programmes and links with clinical trials through their clinical colleagues.

In 2005, the Beatson Institute established the Translational Research Laboratory to help advance scientific ideas for new therapeutic targets that arise from the basic research programmes of the BICR group leaders. The group has been extremely successful in developing assays and screens for small molecule inhibitors, and has transferred a number of high throughput screens to its partners at Cancer Research Technology. Embedding some dedicated resource to promote translational research within the Institute is highly beneficial to the rate of progress in this area. They are now in the process of establishing a much larger Drug Discovery Programme, funded by Cancer Research UK that will allow them to develop more ambitious plans for their translational work.

University of Glasgow Medical Faculty Research Groups work closely together with the scientists from the Beatson Institute forming a completely integrated site where clinical and basic cancer research come together sharing excellent facilities, knowledge and vision.

Beatson Translational Research Centre

The Beatson Translational Research Centre (TRC) is being developed jointly with the Beatson Institute, Cancer Research UK, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board and the University of Glasgow to provide the final element in the creation of the Glasgow Centre for Cancer Research.   When complete, the Glasgow Centre will be the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.   Refurbishment is due to start within existing buildings at Garscube in March 2009 with new build due to commence November 2009. The Beatson Translational Research Centre will convert basic cancer research into real improvements in treatments for patients. It will focus upon especially common tumours, those that cause the most deaths in Scotland such as endocrine (breast, prostate and ovarian); smoking related (lung, throat, oral) and gastrointestinal cancer.

Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit Glasgow

Based at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, the Clinical Trials Unit has on average 70 cancer clinical trials open to recruitment at any given time. Trials range from 'first in man' phase I and pharmacological/pharmacodynamic studies to multi-centre phase III studies.

All administrative aspects of the clinical trial work are co-ordinated by the CTU. Key tasks involve development of clinical trial protocols, preparation of regulatory and ethical documentation, collection and processing of clinical trials data, and analysis of data and preparation of study reports.

The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre

The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre is based in a state-of-the-art £100M facility and is the lead centre for the delivery of non-surgical cancer care for the West of Scotland. It serves a population of 2.6M, and has clinical links with 16 hospitals in five surrounding health board areas.

An internationally-renowned teaching centre, the BOC incorporates the academic units of Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology and Palliative Care. The Beatson is Scotland's largest cancer centre, and the second-largest in the UK. As a result, the workload is varied - each year, the Beatson team sees over 8,000 new patients, and more than 15,000 courses of chemotherapy and 6,500 courses of radiotherapy are administered. Waiting times for radical treatment are usually among the lowest in the UK.

Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre

The Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre in Glasgow, brings together the key elements for translational haemato-oncology on a single site. The £3M centre, which was officially opened in May 2008, is fitted out with the latest technology and will allow specialists to translate laboratory findings into new treatments for patients.  The key benefits of this new centre derive from the proximity of clinical and laboratory disciplines with all essential components incorporated into a single site.  Integration of the NHS and Blood Transfusion Centre offer improved access to blood and bone marrow samples from normal donors, cord blood (normal deliveries) and from patients with the full range of blood cancers.  

By providing access to biobanks, established from normal donors and patients with blood cancer, scientists can interrogate the gene expression, protein expression and metabolism of cancerous cells compared with normal cells and apply these new discoveries in designing clinical trials that give all patients access to more effective therapies.

Cancer Research at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow

Cancer studies in the Faculty of Medicine encompasses a range of the major research topics pertinent to cancer. This includes basic molecular and cell biology, investigation of aetiology and pathophysiology, markers of response and prognosis, discovery and validation of new therapy targets, translational studies and clinical trials of therapies and supportive strategies for patients with cancer. The ultimate goal of all of these interlinked areas of research is to improve understanding of the mechanisms of cancer and utilise this knowledge to develop improved therapies and outcomes for people with cancer.

Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology Division at the University of Glasgow

The Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology contains within it large groups which are funded by Cancer Research UK, including the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, which represents one of the largest collections of cancer biologists in the United Kingdom. The Division has brought together other groups from within Surgery, Medical and Radiation Oncology, Pathology, Haematology and others and has united them with a common research strategy.   

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences Cancer Research UK Formulation Unit

The Cancer Research UK Formulation Unit was established in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1983. The Unit recently moved to the John Arbuthnott Building within the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences. This move permitted upgrading of the facilities and expansion to meet the challenges of the future, both in scientific and regulatory terms.

The Unit develops putative anti-cancer drugs to a level suitable for Phase I and II clinical trials. This initiative was based on the Department's experience in the manufacture of small volume injectable products and its established cleanroom facilities. Since inception the Unit has handled around 75 compounds and manufactured over 1,000,000 product units. Several of the compounds have been passed to international pharmaceutical companies for further development and some are now available worldwide for the treatment of cancer.

The Unit applies a full range of pharmaceutical research and development tools to each project handled. Expertise ranges from drug characterisation, to formulation development and regulatory requirements. The Unit is a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility with an IMP licence for the production of Investigational Medicinal Products. The Unit has dealt with compounds from right across the therapeutic spectrum including polynucleotides, antibodies, vaccines, polymer conjugated agents and small molecule drugs.

Cancer Research UK funded Small Molecule Drug Discovery Programme at the University of Strathclyde

Cancer Research UK has awarded £2.5M to scientists at Strathclyde's new Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry for research into new drugs for prostate cancer.

The grant is part of a £10M investment in drug discovery projects at 4 universities across the UK.

Nearly 35,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, with 2,500 cases in Scotland in 2004. It is the most common cancer in men in the UK and accounts for nearly a quarter of all new cases of male cancer.

Project leaders at the University of Strathclyde, Imperial College London, University of Oxford and The School of Pharmacy in London will each receive £500k per year for five years to develop anti-cancer drugs.

Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre

The Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre takes a comprehensive approach to cancer research, transcending laboratory-based and clinical disciplines. It studies the genetic and biological basis of cancer, disease pathology, and devises and tests new forms of therapy arising from its basic, translational and clinical research programs. It strives to carry out research of the highest quality into effective cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as the symptoms associated with cancer.

The Centre provides a dynamic environment to inspire and train the next generation of cancer researchers, including basic and translational scientists, pathologists, surgeons, physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists. It is a biomedical and clinical cancer research centre, with scientists and physicians working together to improve the future clinical management of cancer.

Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre is a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, Cancer Research UK & NHS Lothian. Its funding comes from multiple sources, but is underpinned by generous support from Cancer Research UK.

Other Institutions

The Cancer Care Research Centre (CCRC), University of Stirling, was established in October 2003 so that people affected by cancer could help shape the future of cancer services in Scotland.  It works with large numbers of people affected by cancer across Scotland and carrys out research in the key areas of Families, Children and Relationships , Cancer as a Long Term Condition, and Symptom Improvement .

Glasgow Caledonian University School of Life Sciences, division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

The University of the West of Scotland

Companies

A diverse range of companies involved in cancer research, diagnosis and treatment are based in Scotland. A few examples are listed below, more can be found in the Company and Organisation Listing of this web site.   

Crusade

Crusade Laboratories is a life-sciences company primarily based on the use of herpes simplex virus (HSV) for cancer therapy. The platform technology is based on the selectively replication competent herpes simplex virus mutant HSV1716. Phase I clinical trials in glioma (brain cancer) melanoma (skin cancer) and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck have been successfully completed.

MODE Diagnostics (MODE DX)

MODE Diagnostics (MODE DX) is a development phase company preparing a pipeline of user friendly and clinically informative diagnostic products for the Over-The-Counter (OTC) retail pharmacy market. The proprietary technology enables high precision diagnostics using robust proven sensors that can be integrated into easy to use handheld test devices that are designed for low cost, high volume manufacturing.

MODE's initial market is Cancer Health (Diagnostics) and will provide retail customers access to early detection and disease management products. The first product, bSURE, which has been technically validated, is now in the development phase and will enable personal screening for the early detection of Colorectal Cancer.

PPD Development

PPD Development, the contract research (CRO) operating subsidiary of PPD, Inc., is a leading global provider of development services and products for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.  PPD has extensive expertise in the field of cancer. 

Avanticell

AvantiCell Science Ltd is a biotechnology company specialising in cell biology and cell culture technology. Assays are focused initially on the aetiology of cancer but will extend progressively to lifestyle-related diseases. R&D is creating new cell-based technology that will include first-to-market cell-based assays incorporating 3-D cell-culture technology.