Cancer

Dec 14 2016 22 ep. 35 mins 671
Cancer Podcast artwork

Cancer is studied from several angles at NDM, from its epidemiology and potential causes, to its effect on patient lives and outcomes, as well as the basic science underpinning the unregulated cell growth that is the hallmark of the disease. Our Cancer podcasts illustrate the diversity of this research, and provide snapshots to the work of NDM scientists and clinicians to understand, treat and prevent cancer.

  Education
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Epigenetic modifications and cancer

Dec 14 2016 5 mins  
Professor Skirmantas Kriaucionis aims to to elucidate the molecular function of DNA modifications in normal cells and cancer. Although all cells in our body have the same genome, they look different and perform different functions. Epigenetic modifications such as methylations ensure which sets of genes are expressed in specific cells and how this specificity is inherited. Cancer c

Repairing DNA damage

Apr 28 2016 7 mins  
Dr Ross Chapman studies the molecular events triggered by DNA damage detection, and why defects in these events lead to immune deficiency and cancer in humans. GENOME INTEGRITY Whilst controlled DNA breaks allow for our vast repertoire of antibodies, DNA damage happening out of context can lead to cancer or predisposition to cancer. Recent developments in personalised medicine exp

Cleaning up misfolded proteins

Feb 04 2016 5 mins  
Misfolded proteins can either create the loss of a cellular function, or escape degradation, causing aggregation diseases. Dr John Christianson's research focusses on ER-associated degradation, which is responsible for clearing non-functional and orphan translation products. These processes play a central role in inherited diseases such a cystic fibrosis and various forms of cancer

Targeting cancer mechanisms

Jan 07 2016 5 mins  
Professor Robert Gilbert's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying membrane pore formation and cell adhesion. Switching mechanisms within our cells are in part responsible for their development. MicroRNAs control a whole set of proteins associated with stem cell biology, particularly cancer stem cells. Targeting these components raises the potential for new anti-can

Melanoma

Oct 05 2015 7 mins  
Melanoma or skin cancer is one of the fastest rising cancer types. When identified early, melanoma is relatively easy to cure, but once it starts to metastasise, it becomes very difficult to treat. DEREGULATION OF TRANSCRIPTION The interface between signal transduction and transcription regulation coordinates gene expression. Deregulation of transcription is a key factor in cancer

Targeting epigenetics to treat cancer

Oct 05 2015 4 mins  
Transcription is a tightly regulated process, where chemical modifications initiate the duplication of genetic material. This epigenetic process is often dysregulated in cancer, but it can be targeted with small molecule inhibitors. EPIGENETIC SIGNALLING Professor Panagis Filippakopoulos is interested in the molecular mechanisms of transcription, where the formation of non-covalen

Human Cancer Genetics

Mar 11 2015 5 mins  
Dr Gareth Bond, Associate Member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, studies the influence of genetic variants on the origins, progression and treatment of human cancer. SNP - single nucleotide polymorphisms There is great heterogeneity between individuals in their risk of developing cancer, disease progression and responses to therapy. Specific single nucleotide polymorp

Personalised Medicine

Feb 09 2015 4 mins  
Dr Jenny Taylor is the Programme Director for the Genomic Medicine Theme, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Her research bridges the gap between genetics research and the use of its discoveries in diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Clinical diagnoses can be broad descriptions, but today's test results can help better understand the condition as well as target tre

Cancer predisposition and evolution

Feb 09 2015 3 mins  
Identifying genes that increase the risk of bowel or other cancers allows us to offer preventative measures, such as removing tumours at an early stage. A better understanding of how and why cancers grow also helps develop improved treatments. Ian Tomlinson, Professor of Molecular and Population Genetics at the Wellcome Trust for Human Genetics, works on the identification of genes

Cancer Informatics

Feb 09 2015 6 mins  
Cancer research now generates huge amounts of data, and sophisticated computational tools are needed to answer biological questions. Making sense of this variability at molecular level will help us better tailor treatments to individual cancer patients. Dr Benjamin Schuster-Böckler heads the computational group at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. His work has demonstrated