Alison Banham

Antibodies are made naturally by the body, where they are used to kill invading bacteria or viruses, but they can also be made by researchers in the lab to target cancer cells.

Professor Banham is focusing on making antibodies that target a tumour’s blood supply, potentially starving the cancer cells of the oxygen and nutrients that they need to survive. Once Professor Banham and her team have made and tested antibodies that hit these targets in the lab, they will select the best ones for large-scale production and testing in clinical trials.

Treatment with monoclonal antibodies – such as rituximab (Mabthera or Rituxan), used to treat leukaemia and lymphoma - has improved the outlook for many patients with different types of cancer. Professor Banham’s work holds promise for developing powerful new therapies for cancer in the future.