Molecular
Oncology
Molecular
Pathology
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Molecular
Oncology
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Main Groups Associated
Bodies |
Molecular Pathology Group Please also see the Institute of Cancer's web pages at the Barts and
The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry. Our aim is to exploit the technologies of functional genomics to develop novel approaches for diagnosis, classification and treatment of human cancers. Advances in knowledge resulting from the Human Genome Project and the advent of high-throughput technologies now facilitate simultaneous analysis of the activity of many genes in cells and tissues, and the challenge is to translate such molecular profiles into clinical benefit for patients. The laboratory is a leader in the field of expression profiling by cDNA microarray technology, and is one of the few centres to have combined this successfully to early neoplastic lesions with laser capture microdissection (PixCell-II system) and tissue aspiration techniques. We are equipped for high-throughput validation expression by TaqMan real-time PCR and custom tissue microarrays. Expression profiling is being exploited to improve classification of human cancers, particularly in the identification of treatment-sensitive and treatment-resistant disease to guide patient selection in the clinic. As one of the National Translational Cancer Research Centres established by the Department of Health with the cancer research funding agencies, one of our priorities is develop biomarkers for the development of novel therapies. The group is using these approaches in the development of oncolytic biotherapies for cancer, particularly replicating adenoviruses in clinical and preclinical models. By characterising the profile of gene expression before and after exposure to these agents we will gain insight into the factors that control susceptibility. New, more effective derivatives will be translated to clinical trial in a purpose-built Gene Therapy Isolation Suite in the Clincal Research Centre. Molecular imaging is an exciting new field with a spectrum of applications in the development of novel therapeutics, and the group has projects using in vivo bioluminescent imaging with the IVIS system, PET imaging of the sodium-iodide symporter reporter gene and the development of novel smart contrast agents for MR imaging.
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