Working with ICR

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutes. They are passionate about their mission to make the discoveries that defeat cancer. Through their unique partnership with The Royal Marsden and ‘bench-to-bedside’ approach, the ICR is able to create and deliver results in a way that other institutions cannot. Together, the two organisations are rated in the top four cancer centres globally.

At the ICR they believe that the way to improve outcomes for children and young adults with poor-prognosis cancers is to understand the whole disease process, from initial genetic changes to the molecular features of the tumours themselves, and to use this information to pinpoint new treatment targets on the tumour cells.

It is becoming clear that gliomatosis cerebri (GC) falls into the wider group of tumours known as gliomas. The Rudy A Menon Foundation is supporting the research of Prof. Chris Jones, Head of the Glioma Team at the ICR. Click here to visit our page at ICR.

Prof. Jones and his team are collaborating with researchers and facilities around the world in order to collect samples of GC. These samples are then utilised in two ways: The team are performing, for the first time, large-scale genetic sequencing in order to pinpoint genes that have mutated and driven the growth of these cancers. They are also attempting to grow cells from these samples in the laboratory as there are currently no known GC ‘models’ available for study.

As the team gains deeper understanding of the genetic factors driving GC development and growth, it is hoped that drugs can be identified to counteract the faulty genes. The team will seek to either match an existing targeted therapy to the tumour, or if one does not exist, to design a new one. As the drugs would be targeted and precise in their action they would be less likely to cause devastating side-effects. Laboratory-grown cell models will give the opportunity for promising treatments to be tested for their effectiveness. The team’s close relationship with clinical colleagues means that this information can be shared rapidly so that future clinical trials can be based on their findings.