12/2/19
Support from Cancer Research & Genetics UK in 2018 has now been used to purchase an embedding machine for the immunohistochemistry facility, which is currently in development.
The Institute would like to thank Cancer Research Genetics UK for their donations in recent years.
A donation in 2019 would be used to purchase two items of equipment for a new gene editing (CRISPR-Cas9-rAAV) facility:
-86°C Upright Freezer
- This will provide energy-efficient refrigeration, an intelligent data-logging interface, uniform sample storage, and comprehensive, easy monitoring.
Cell line storage vessel
This dedicated facility will allow the University to work at the forefront of gene editing. The facility will be led by:
- Professor David MacEwan. (Chair, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology; research addresses chemotherapy-resistant cancer patients and hard to treat cancers.)
- Dr John Woolly. (Focuses on cancer biology, including acute myeloid leukaemia and chronic myeloid leukaemia.)
- Professor Ian Prior (NWCR Professor of Molecular Oncology; approaches to cancer-causing cell signalling networks has included research into leukaemia and breast cancer.)
- Dr Joseph Slupsky (Research areas include chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and other B cell lymphomas.)
Gene (and Genome) editing is revolutionising molecular biology and translational research. For the first time, we have the ability to carry out wide-ranging genetic manipulation in mammalian systems. This gives us the ability to understand how genes function and interact in models of human disease with the potential to transform how we understand and treat patients. The best way to investigate the function of a gene is to (1) knockdown/overexpress it in cells or (2) modify its DNA sequence in the genome of a cell line to imitate the effect of known mutations associated with the disease.