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Join us at the Alhambra Studio, Bradford on 24th May!
Dr Sean Lawler's brain tumour research update
brain tumour research in leeds
Five year Programme Funded (£750,000) by Brain Tumour Research and Support across Yorkshire and Candlelighters Children's Cancer Charity2011 saw Dr Sean Lawler focus on a brand new challenge; he returned to his hometown Leeds from Ohio in the United States to lead a neuro-oncology group at the University of Leeds – The Translational Neuro-Oncology Group at Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM).
Sean’s vision is to build a research group dedicated to identifying novel approaches that will improve the outcome for patients with brain tumours, including the most aggressive and difficult to treat of brain tumours, glioblastoma. Brain tumours affect both adults and children; in fact, paediatric brain tumours are now the leading cause of cancer mortality in children, and the new research group will be looking closely at this problem.
The lab is highly translational and positions itself between basic research discoveries and their applicability to patients.
From left to right: Lady Kathy Botham, Dr Sean Lawler, Lady Mayoress of Leeds, Professor Alan Melcher, Lady Emma Ingilby,
Lord Mayor of Leeds at the official launch of the Translational Neuro-oncology Group at Leeds University.
Sean and his team work closely with other researchers and clinical trials specialists at the University of Leeds as well as local clinicians, including neuro-oncologists, pathologists and neurosurgeons. The team will have access to state-of-the-art equipment at Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine.
The ultimate aim will be to develop the group into one that is nationally and internationally recognised as a leading centre for translational brain tumour research.
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brain tumour facts
There are many facts and figures available on the incidence, occurrence and treatment of brain cancer. We have published some of those facts here and hope that you find them of use and interest to you.
- Brain tumour research is under-funded and the public, in general, is unaware of the magnitude of the problem.
- Brain tumours have recently overtaken leukaemia as the most common malignancy and cause of death in children.
- There is a 5% to 10% annual increase in paediatric brain tumours.
- Lack of funding and research into the treatment of malignant brain tumours means survival rates are no better than they were 40 years ago.
- The cure rate for most brain tumours is significantly lower than that for most other types of cancer.
- Because of their location at the control centre for thought, emotion and physical function, brain tumours are difficult to treat.
- Approximately only one third of patients survive for five years following the diagnosis of a primary or malignant brain tumour.
- Around 4,500 new cases of primary brain tumours are diagnosed in the UK each year. In Yorkshire we saw 600 adults (with around 120 affected by the most aggressive high grade tumours) and 25 children as newly diagnosed patients in 2005.
- Brain tumours are the second most common cause of neurological death (stroke is the most common).
- Currently, brain tumours cannot be prevented because their cause is still unknown.
- Many tumours seen in adult patients are distinct and infrequently seen in children.
- There are over 120 different types of brain tumours, making effective treatment very complicated.
- Brain tumours are currently treated by surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
- Brain tumours are the second fastest growing cause of cancer death among those over age 65, and unlike the first and third fastest growing causes (lung cancer and melanoma), no behavioural change has been shown to reduce the risk.
- Research is progressing into a number of new areas such as oncogenes (the presence of special genes in our cells that may be associated with cancer) and the abnormal production of specialised growth factors.
about Sean Lawler PhD
Sean began his research career looking at basic molecular biology of human cells, with a particular interest into an area called “signal transduction” - which is the study of how cells relay messages from the outside to the inside, and then how the cell interprets those messages. This may tell them to grow, die, or move for example. In simple terms, these pathways are relevant in many aspects of life, and are also recognised as key elements that allow cancer cells to grow.In 2000, Sean moved to Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston where he worked with the well-known neurosurgeon and clinician-scientist Nino Chiocca. This is where he began to learn about brain tumours, and how difficult they are to treat effectively. To Sean, the most striking aspect was that molecular biology had reached the point of sophistication where it was possible to envisage his skills and knowledge being directly applicable to an incurable and devastating disease.
In 2004, Sean moved to Ohio State University Medical Center to take up an independent faculty position and he decided to devote 100% of his research efforts to finding novel and effective solutions and treatments for brain tumours.
His work so far has examined two main areas, one being the migration of glioblastoma cells into normal brain tissue of the patient. This is a major problem, and prevents complete surgical removal of these tumours. A challenge we must overcome is how to therapeutically target and destroy these cells. Sean has identified a family of drugs that completely block glioma cell migration in lab models. The next step is to explore if this type of treatment can progress to a clinical trial.
A second area of research has been to examine the function of recently identified cellular components called microRNAs - these are important regulators of cell behaviour, and are clearly altered in cancer. Sean has identified many alterations in microRNAs specific to glioblastoma, and is in the process of investigating whether these alterations can either be used therapeutically, or at least can tell us more about this disease. Data so far supports both of these ideas, and he has become reputed for his work in this area.
The plan for the University of Leeds neuro-oncology group is to build on initial local support from the charities Brain Tumour Research and Support across Yorkshire and Candlelighters, and to become a more extensive and diverse research group that examines all aspects of brain cancer with focus specific to both paediatric and adult tumour types, and is devoted to improving the outcome for the patients who suffer from these tumours.
It is vital we make progress against these cancers, which are less well studied than some others, but affect both adults, children, and their families.
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