The CRUK Convergence Science Centre is a partnership between Imperial College London and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). We aim to bring together researchers from different disciplines across both institutions to develop innovative ways to address challenges in cancer research to benefit patients.
This seminar series brings together speakers from Imperial and ICR to present their research and how they use convergence science to answer cancer-related questions.
This session will be chaired by Dr Navita Somaiah.
Dr Anna Wilkins (ICR)
Dr Anna Wilkins will present “Targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts to improve the therapeutic index of radiotherapy”
Dr Anna Wilkins a Clinician Scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and an Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology at the Royal Marsden, where she treats prostate and bladder cancers with drug and radiotherapy. Anna’s research combines human translational science with pre-clinical models to investigate how different features of the tumour microenvironment, including non-cancerous cells, might help prostate and bladder tumours survive after radiotherapy.
Dr Iain Dunlop (Imperial)
T- and Natural Killer (NK) cells are key components for immunotherapies. Research in biophysics has shown that T and NK cell activation is not only controlled by specific biomolecules, but is also impacted by the biophysical properties of the target cell. Here Dr Iain Dunlop will present his research on “Graphene-based nanobiomaterials for enhanced activation of Natural Killer (NK) cells”.
Iain Dunlop is Reader in Biomaterials and Cell Engineering, Department of Materials, Imperial College London. His research group develops biofunctional nano- and soft-materials for research into fundamental physiology and disease. Beyond immunology, key research directions include the mechanobiology of the ovary and lung airway, as well as organoid systems. He has a fundamental interest in nanomaterials design and has developed nanoparticles for applications from targeting the blood-brain barrier, to 3D imaging in soil.
Who can attend?
Researchers, students and anyone with an interest in convergence science relating to cancer research across Imperial and ICR are welcome to register.
If you are not associated with Imperial or ICR but would like to attend, please email icr-imperial-convergence.centre@imperial.ac.uk.