Brain Tumour Research Centre

About

• The Clinical Research is led by Mr Kevin O’Neill and the Laboratory Translational research is led by Dr Nelofer Syed

We are a multidisciplinary research centre comprising both clinical and laboratory translational research projects. Our overall aim is to develop a programme of interlinked projects that complement one another and lead to combined findings that can follow a pipeline of development from bench to bedside.  From proof of principle in the laboratory to preclinical models then early phase clinical trials, this will then lead to multicentre clinical trials through our Brain Tumour Research network and eventually national/international multi-centre trials.

We currently have four main areas of investigation in the laboratory:

1. Arginine deprivation (ADI-PEG20)
2. Nicotinamide metabolism (FK866)
3. Angiotensin signalling (PD123319 and EMA405)
4. Ketogenic Diet

Within the clinical team the research areas include:

1. Development of 3D ultrasound image guidance in neurosurgery
2. Developing neuro-optical techniques for neurosurgery: Raman spectroscopy to identify molecular fingerprint of tissue and to allow real time intraoperative molecular diagnostics to inform surgical pathway and subsequent treatments
3. Multi-spectral imaging to identify and discern tumour and other pathologies from functioning brain in real time
4. Using computational methods
5. Developing clinical trial protocols from work discovered in our lab > arginine deprivation in combination with radiotherapy for recurrent GBM.
6. Patient and Public involvement

Clinical Research

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Laboratory translational research

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We are particularly interested in interrogating the altered metabolism of brain tumours with a particular focus on adult glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly aggressive grade IV primary CNS tumour for which there are currently no successful therapeutic interventions. The addiction of cancer cells to alternative metabolic pathways becomes their Achilles heel and provides an opportunity to develop unique therapeutic strategies. We employ a variety of omics and novel intra-operative technologies in real time to identify these disrupted metabolic pathways and test them for their therapeutic utility both in vitro and in vivo model systems. Data generated through our analysis together with publically available data is subjected to a systems biology approach using computational and mathematical methods to elucidate the pathways most crucially involved in tumour formation and progression. We believe this approach would reveal more successful treatment strategies for GBM and overcome the problems encountered by inter and intra tumoural heterogeneity, a feature thought to account for the failure of current targeted therapies.