International award nomination for kidney scientists
Published: 11 November 2011
Two University of Glasgow scientists working to develop new treatments for kidney cancer have been nominated for an international award
Two University of Glasgow scientists working to develop new treatments for kidney cancer have been nominated for an international award.
Dr Joanne Edwards and Dr Tahir Qayyum of the University’s Institute of Cancer Sciences are in the running to receive a €10,000 grant from Novartis Oncology’s PRIMe Awards programme. They are competing against three other research teams for the prize.
The PRIMe Awards, now in their second year, recognise excellence in developments for treating kidney cancer and are open to researchers from the United Kingdom and France.
Dr Edwards and Dr Qayyum, along with urology consultant Mr Michael Aitchison, are involved in a 10-member team who are working to develop more effective targeted therapies for patients suffering from inoperable kidney cancer. Their research focuses on a particular gene called tyrosine kinase Src, which plays a role in spreading the disease through the body, and examines the effectiveness of a drug called dasatanib in inhibiting the gene’s activity.
Dr Edwards said: “We’re very pleased to have been nominated for a PRIMe Award. The grant would be a great help in allowing us to continue our research, which has already produced a number of significant results which could help to increase the survival rates of kidney cancer.
“Around 8000 cases of this type of cancer are annually diagnosed in the UK, and 3800 people die from the disease each year. The estimated five-year survival rate is just 50%.”
Dr Qayyum added: “Our research has shown that dasatanib could be an effective therapy for kidney cancer, and we’ve also identified a test to determine which patients are most likely to respond positively to the treatment.
“This could well pave the way for the development of more specifically-targeted treatment of the disease, tailored for each patient, which would help improve the survival rates.”
The nominees for the award have been invited to present their work and take part in a two-day meeting to be held in London on Thursday 1 December and Friday 2 December, where the overall winner from the UK and France will be announced.
The two-day meeting aims to help improve candidates’ medical writing, critical review, statistical analysis, and oral communications skills, as well as give them the chance to meet with and be mentored by some of the most recognised European experts within kidney cancer.
First published: 11 November 2011
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