Glasgow Molecular Pathology Node

Thank you and Season's greetings from the Node Management

Dear Colleagues

With the holidays upon us and 2016 drawing to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your help and effort in building the Glasgow Molecular Pathology Node. It has been a busy first year and we are very pleased with all that we have achieved together.

We have been able to invest in staff, with the recruitment of twelve post across University and NHS.  We have established and developed successful partnerships and projects across University, NHS and industry.  We have held a successful launch/anniversary event showcasing our aims to develop novel molecular diagnostics and applications of molecular techniques for clinical use.  We are benefitting from collaborative working with five industrial partners focussed on molecular pathology diagnostic systems, biomarkers and tests, next generation sequencing, medical informatics and data analysis, and precision medicine instruments.  We have designed and are running an innovative Masters in Molecular Pathology which commenced September 2016 and we are delighted to have 18 students in our first year!

Over the past 13 months together we have made good progress towards addressing the three priorities identified by the MRC in developing molecular pathology for the future - ‘path, proximity and people’ - and we have received very positive feedback from the MRC/EPSRC review board.

None of this would have been possible without your contribution, expertise and support, for which we are extremely grateful.

We are very excited about working with you all next year.

Wishing you all a joyful and peaceful festive season.

Kind regards

Karin, Ruth and Ania

‌‌GMP Node participates in National Pathology Week: Wednesday 9th November

As part of National Pathology Week the Glasgow Molecular Pathology Node will be setting up in the main Atrium of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Wednesday 9th November. We want to engage with members of the public to raise awareness of pathology and pathology research and its vital role in patient care. Come and say hello and learn about the role of pathology, test your DNA strand-making capabilities ‘under pressure’, try a tongue-twisting game and much more! You can find out more about the range of events taking place across the UK by clicking here (https://www.rcpath.org/discover-pathology/events-landing-page/public-events.html).

Inaugural research symposium: 24th October 2016

The Glasgow Molecular Pathology Node is holding its inaugural research symposium at the Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor on the 24th October between 11.30 and 4.30pm. The first part of the symposium will set the scene for precision medicine in Scotland and highlight the need for companion diagnostics. The Node will be introduced and the second part of the symposium will provide an overview of the Node training workstrand before highlighting the research which is being undertaken using the Node platform. The symposium will include representatives from the university, NHSGG&C and industry and is open to clinicians and researchers from the Institute of Cancer Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences and Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation.

REGISTER HERE

‘Explorathon ‘16: 30 September 2016

The Node is participating in its first public engagement event, Explorathon, which is Scotland’s ‘European Researchers Night’ on the 30th September 2016. This event celebrates research and researchers with public engagement events and an opportunity for the people of Scotland to learn about the Glasgow Molecular Pathology Node. Pathology is generally a “behind the scenes” process and most people are unaware of the contribution which pathologists make towards disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, to keep people as healthy as possible.  This event provides the ideal platform for engaging with members of the public to raise awareness of pathology and pathology research, and its vital role in patient care.

Through this event we aim to highlight that pathology applies to the living too and to demonstrate pathologists contribution to patient care. The Node aims to:

• Introduce visitors to “personalised”, “stratified” or “precision” medicine.
• Demonstrate how pathologists can diagnose and understand disease, which is central to patient care and precision medicine.  
• Demonstrate the use of laboratory tests from microscopy through to molecular diagnostic tests and how they can be applied to samples from patients;
• Describe how the development of this new “molecular pathology” is based on larger initiatives like the genome projects. 

Visitors will explore digitised histopathology images, on interactive platforms, and associated pathological specimens. The exhibit includes interactive games showing the potential role of laboratory medicine to diagnose patients and help decide between different treatments for the same disease’