UCL's CAR-T cell therapy research for brain cancer awarded the Translational Award

We’re proud to share that therapeutic research led by Professor John Anderson at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, supported by the Translational Research Office (TRO), has been among the first to receive the Translational Award from The Brain Tumour Charity.

Professor John Anderson and his research group at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health are focused on developing a new type of CAR-T cell therapy. These CAR-T cells have been designed to target a protein on the surface of many high-risk brain tumours in both children and adults. Importantly, this protein is not usually found on healthy cells, so only the cancer cells will be targeted. As an extra safety measure, they have also developed new technologies to switch the CAR-T cells ‘on’ and ‘off’ using a drug.

These CAR-T cells are currently being tested in a clinical trial for children whose brain tumours have come back after other treatments. In this project, Professor Anderson and his team are hoping to improve the CAR-T cells further and develop a new clinical trial after this project.

Dr Jennifer Fuman, Senior Translational Research Manager at the TRO, said: "It’s a great pleasure to work closely with our researchers to advance their translational research, from securing funding to co-developing strategic directions. Through meaningful grants like this, the research team can focus their efforts on progressing therapeutic innovations that ultimately benefit patients."

Links:

• Award announcement from The Brain Tumour Charity
• Professor John Anderson's academic profile
• UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

Image: 

• Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mri-images-of-the-brain-5723883/

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