Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre

Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre
Established 1979
Research type Basic (non-clinical), translational research and clinical research
Field of research
 Cancer
Director Margaret Frame
(Science Director)
David Cameron
(Clinical Director)
Location Edinburgh, Scotland
Affiliations University of Edinburgh
Website http://www.ecrc.ed.ac.uk/

The Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre (ECRC), also known as the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre and the University of Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, is a world-class center for basic, translational and clinical cancer research located in Edinburgh, Scotland. ECRC constitutes an integral part of the Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine (IGMM) and is positioned in direct proximity of the Western General Hospital, where most of its clinical activities take place. The ECRC is also a member of the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) Network.

Scientific activities

A broad spectrum of tumor types are studied in the Centre although the main strengths of ECRC lay in the areas of breast, colorectal, ovarian and brain cancers. They include research focused on:

In these fields the ECRC has gained international recognition as a cutting-edge research center of excellence in innovative biomedical research and belongs to the Cancer Research UK Centres network of excellence.[1] The ECRC investigators play also an important role in the palliative care practice and research.[2]

As of 2015, research in the ECRC is carried out by 27 independent but highly interactive research teams. In addition, 9 clinical researchers and 14 affiliated research groups are associated with the Centre.[3] Several technology platforms, including reverse phase protein arrays and advanced microscopy, support the research activities with cutting-edge technology.[4] Since 2011, the ECRC also hosts a dedicated drug discovery unit.[5] Since 2010, the institute is led by Margaret Frame (as the Science Director) and David Cameron (as the Clinical Director) with help and advise from the ECRC Governance Board.

Recent highlights from ECRC scientists and clinicians include:

Governance Board

The Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre was established in The University of Edinburgh (UoE) in close partnership with Cancer Research UK and the NHS Lothian, and has strong links to other Institutes and Colleges conducting cancer research in Edinburgh, in particular the Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine. The ECRC follows a partnership model in which key stakeholders are actively and directly involved in the strategic governance and growth of the Centre.

Teaching and Training

As a part of the Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, ECRC is affiliated with the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Edinburgh.[21] It provides biomedical research and career training for over 30 PhD students. Many PhD positions are filled in the frame of IGMM 4 Year Graduate School Programme, but there are also some externally funded PhD-studentships and PhD positions specifically aimed for cancer clinicians. The available positions are awarded on competitive basis. ECRC scientists and clinicians actively participate in the teaching programmes of the University of Edinburgh. Ten researchers based in ECRC hold full professorships at the University.

The ECRC also offers training in biomedical research to postdoctoral fellows. Applications for these positions are opened to all nationalities and are highly competitive.

Public Engagement

Rising awareness about cancer, cancer prevention, healthy lifestyle and science among patients, fundraisers and general public is an important part of the ECRC mission. Activities in this area are closely coordinated with Cancer Research UK and include many diverse events ranging from guided tours of the Centre to participation in fundrising events and science festivals.[22][23][24]

History

In the year 1978, the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) - a major charity supporting cancer research in the United Kingdom at the time, decided to provide an £800,000 endowment to support creation of a Chair of Medical Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine in Edinburgh. Following an open competition, the University of Edinburgh appointed John F. Smyth (at the time a senior lecturer in medical oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research in London) for that position on the 1st of April 1979. After a short visit to the University of Chicago, professor Smyth assumed his duties in Edinburgh on the 1st of October 1979 (a date that can be considered as the beginning of the Centre).[25][26][27] Soon afterwards, additional posts were provided by the University and matched by appropriate staff positions by Lothian Health Board (NHS) to create first clinical service for medical oncology in Edinburgh. The service was based in the Western General Hospital where some beds and out-patient facilities were provided. In 1980 it was formally recognized as the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Medical Oncology Unit in Edinburgh with professor John Smyth as its director. This resulted in additional funding that allowed building of a small research laboratory which was commissioned in 1981. The laboratory was located in a portable cabin on the Western General Hospital campus. The main focus of the Unit was the development of more successful drug therapies for all forms of cancer and looking for new ways of reducing the side-effects of anti-cancer drugs.[27] With generous support from Imperial Cancer Research Fund and other organisations, the Unit was steadily growing enabling clinical trials for promising anticancer therapeutics.[27][28] For example, the Unit was responsible for the very first clinical trial of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, heralding in the dramatic changes in emesis control that subsequently followed the development of that class of compounds.[26] In 1984 the Unit moved to a new location at the top floor of the MRC Human Genetics Unit building which allowed for expansion of laboratory research activities. After a successful ICRF review in 1996, it had been recognized that further extension of scientific activities of the Unit required even more space and prof. Smyth obtained permission to rise funds to create a new purpose designed building. The work started in 2000 and the new £7M building was officially opened in 2002 by The Princess Royal.[29] It provides 3000 square meters of gross internal space and is a current base for majority of ECRC researchers. At that time (in 2002), following reorganisation of faculties into schools within the University of Edinburgh, the name Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre was created and used with reference to the Unit and the new building. In 2004 the successor of ICRF, Cancer Research UK, also started to refer to the Unit as the CRUK Clinical Cancer Centre to emphasize its status as a comprehensive cancer centre. In 2007 ECRC became part of the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine.[30] In 2010, following a successful bid, ECRC has been formally recognized as Cancer Research UK Centre and is known as Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre.[31][32]

ECRC Directors

1980 – 2005  John Smyth (initially as a director of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Medical Oncology Unit)
2005 – 2009  David Harrison
2010 – present  Margaret Frame (Science Director) and David Cameron (Clinical Director)

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Cancer Research UK makes £100m investment in research centres across the UK". Cancer Research UK. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  2. ↑ "Palliative Care: Meeting Local and Global Challenges.". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  3. ↑ "ECRC Researchers". Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  4. ↑ "ECRC Facilities". Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  5. ↑ "Edinburgh Cancer Discovery Unit (ECDU)". Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  6. ↑ Geyer CE, Forster J, Lindquist D, et al. (2006). "Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer". N. Engl. J. Med. 355 (26): 2733–43. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa064320. PMID 17192538.
  7. ↑ Cameron D, Casey M, Press M, et al. (2008). "A phase III randomized comparison of lapatinib plus capecitabine versus capecitabine alone in women with advanced breast cancer that has progressed on trastuzumab: updated efficacy and biomarker analyses". Breast Cancer Res Treat. 112 (3): 533–43. doi:10.1007/s10549-007-9885-0.
  8. ↑ Cameron D, Casey M, Oliva C, et al. (September 2010). "Lapatinib plus capecitabine in women with HER-2-positive advanced breast cancer:final survival analysis of a phase III randomized trial". Oncologist. 15 (9): 924–34. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.2009-0181.
  9. ↑ "Lapatinib clinical trial update". GlaxoSmithKline. 2011-09-09. Retrieved 2014-09-09.
  10. ↑ Gourley C, Michie CO, Roxburgh P, et al. (2010). "Increased incidence of visceral metastases in scottish patients with BRCA1/2-defective ovarian cancer: an extension of the ovarian BRCAness phenotype". J Clin Oncol. 28 (15): 2505–11. doi:10.1200/JCO.2009.25.1082.
  11. ↑ "Ovarian cancer discovery gives hope to women after biggest breakthrough in two decades". Daily Mail. 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  12. ↑ Houlston RS, Cheadle J, Dobbins SE, et al. (2010). "Meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies identifies susceptibility loci for colorectal cancer at 1q41, 3q26.2, 12q13.13 and 20q13.33". Nat. Genet. 42 (11): 973–7. doi:10.1038/ng.670. PMID 20972440.
  13. ↑ Tomlinson IP, Carvajal-Carmona LG, Dobbins SE, et al. (2011). "Multiple common susceptibility variants near BMP pathway loci GREM1, BMP4, and BMP2 explain part of the missing heritability of colorectal cancer". PLoS Genet. 7 (6): e1002105. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002105.
  14. ↑ "Bowel cancer risk gene pinpointed". BBC. 2007-07-08. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  15. ↑ Strong V, Waters R, Hibberd C, et al. (2008). "Management of depression for people with cancer (SMaRT oncology 1): a randomised trial". Lancet. 372 (9632): 40–8. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60991-5.
  16. ↑ "New Depression Treatment For Cancer Patients Shows Promise". Medical News Today. 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  17. ↑ Sandilands E, Serrels B, McEwan DG, et al. (2011). "Autophagic targeting of Src promotes cancer cell survival following reduced FAK signalling". Nat Cell Biol. 14 (1): 51–60. doi:10.1038/ncb2386.
  18. ↑ Sandilands E, Serrels B, Wilkinson S, et al. (2012). "Src-dependent autophagic degradation of Ret in FAK-signalling-defective cancer cells". EMBO Rep. 13 (8): 733–40. doi:10.1038/embor.2012.92.
  19. ↑ Serrels A, Lund T, Serrels B, et al. (2015). "Nuclear FAK Controls Chemokine Transcription, Tregs, and Evasion of Anti-tumor Immunity". Cell. 163 (1): 160–173. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.09.001.
  20. ↑ Weiss JT, Dawson JC, Macleod KG, et al. (2014). "Extracellular palladium-catalysed dealkylation of 5-fluoro-1-propargyl-uracil as a bioorthogonally activated prodrug approach". Nat Commun. 5: 3277. doi:10.1038/ncomms4277.
  21. ↑ "Institutes and Centres at the UoE College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  22. ↑ "Why we ′give back′ − our visit to the Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre". iMultiply resourcing. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  23. ↑ "AH Biology Visit to Cancer Research UK Centre" (PDF). George Heriot's School. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  24. ↑ "Edinburgh Science Festival 2008 Special". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  25. ↑ "John Smyth: unity is strength" (PDF). Cancer World. September–October 2005. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  26. 1 2 "Cover legend: John Smyth; a member of The Editorial Academy of The International Journal of Oncology" (PDF). International Journal of Oncology. 2006. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  27. 1 2 3 "Advances in cancer treatment claimed". The Glasgow Herald. 1986-11-08. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  28. ↑ "New drug to stop cancer spread shows promise". Daily News. 1994-03-18. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  29. ↑ "Royal launch for cancer centre". BBC. 2002-12-06. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  30. ↑ "Experts join up for cancer fight". BBC. 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  31. ↑ "Edinburgh launches new cancer research centre". Cancer Research UK. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  32. ↑ "Groundbreaking cancer research centre opens in Edinburgh". STV. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2014-01-21.


External links

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