Current research into brain and nerve cell tumours

Dr Kathreena Kurian, from the University of Bristol, is looking to develop a cheap, sensitive blood test to detect glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour. Markers of brain tumours are often present at too low levels to be detected by regular tests, so Dr Kurian wants to use a type of nanotechnology called Fluorescent Carbon Dots to overcome this. This could lead to brain tumours being detected earlier, and more people surviving the disease.

Dr Simona Parrinello in London researches how healthy nerve cells are made. Now, with Cancer Research UK funding, she is applying her expertise to brain tumours. In particular, she’s looking at glioblastoma which has cells that can develop like healthy brain cells. She hopes to shed light on how glioblastoma develops and spreads, and why sometimes treatment stops working.  

Dr Steven Pollard in Edinburgh is studying how normal brain cell growth is controlled and how it goes wrong in glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour. He’s focusing on two groups of molecules which control how brain cells grow and which could be targets for new treatments. His research will help us understand how these molecules work and identify ways to develop drugs to target them.

Professor Richard Gilbertson is Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and is an expert in childhood brain tumours. His lab is analysing the genes of thousands in brain tumours to pinpoint the mistakes that help them grow. He is also looking at how healthy brain cells develop. His lab is using this knowledge to generate new treatments by matching them to the biology of a child’s specific type of brain tumour.