Sheffield Cancer Research Centre Newsletter Issue 3 – July
2013
Welcome to the SCRC NewsletterThe newsletter is for sharing
information on activities and developments. There are sections on
news; awards, achievements; and events. We hope you find the
newsletter informative and useful. If you have any information or
news you would like to share with colleagues in the Centre then
please contact Lance Burn ([email protected]) or Deborah Reid
([email protected])
NewsRace for LifeCR-UK/YCR Sheffield Cancer Research Centre
Runners turn Meadowhall pinkCentre Research staff were out in force
as the Sheffield Race For Life turned Meadowhall shopping centre
into a sea of pink. Professor Nicola Brown took to the stage to
speak to the 4000 runners, explaining her work, highlighting other
leading research projects at the Centre and thanking the
crowd for the hundreds of thousands of pounds they will raise to
fund vital research work. Nicola then joined a 35 strong team of
Centre staff and their families and friends to take part in the 5km
event. The team have already raised almost £2000 and if anyone
would like to help them hit the target they can donate at
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/scrc-runners-2013. Thanks to
everyone who took part and everyone who has sponsored them.After
the Race, the Centre’s three charity partners - Cancer Research UK,
Yorkshire Cancer Research and Weston Park Hospital Cancer
Charity – put on interactive stands inside Meadowhall, engaging
supporters with strawberry DNA extraction and sweet modelling of
virus molecules.
South Asian women should no longer be considered at low risk of
breast cancerResearchers from the University of Sheffield have
discovered a significant increase in breast cancer cases in South
Asian women – a group who were previously considered at lower
risk.Experts from the University's School of Health and Related
Research (ScHARR) in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health
examined breast cancer rates in the South Asian population in
Leicester. Previous studies in the UK have found that incidence of
breast cancer is lower in the South Asian population compared to
other groups.Breast cancer data from the National Cancer
Registration Service and 2001 census were used to calculate rates
of the condition over a 10 year period between 2000 and 2009.
Trends were compared between South Asian women and other
ethnicities between socioeconomic groups.Between 2000-2004, South
Asian women were found to have a 45 per cent lower rate of breast
cancer compared to white women – as found in previous
studies.However, by the 2005-2009 period rates of breast cancer
among South Asian women had increased significantly and was eight
per cent higher than white women, whose rates had not changed over
the study period.
Radiology technician examines mammography test.In South Asian
women over the age of 65 years, this change was statistically
significant with a 37 per cent higher risk of breast cancer than
white women.For all ethnicities combined, rates of breast cancer
did not change with socioeconomic deprivation in 2000-2004, but in
2005-2009 it increased with socioeconomic deprivation, contrary to
national trends.Lead study author Matthew Day, Honorary Lecturer in
ScHARR, said: “Historically South Asian women, and women in lower
socioeconomic groups, have been considered at lower risk of
developing breast cancer. Based on our study in Leicester, this
should no longer be considered the case."He added: “The exact
causes behind this change are not clear cut, they could relate to
increases in screening uptake among these groups of women, which
have in the past been shown to be lower than in other groups. Or
they could be due to changes in lifestyle factors, like having
fewer children and having them later in life, increased use of oral
contraceptives, and increased smoking and alcohol intake – factors
linked to increased breast cancer risk across the board.”Dr Mick
Peake, Clinical Lead at Public Health England’s National Cancer
Intelligence Network, said: “The results of the Leicester study
should assist public health services to both plan for, and respond
to, the changing risk profile of breast cancer in the population,
particularly with regards Asian women who for a long time have been
another group whose attendance rate for screening has been low.“At
the individual level, if women are concerned about breast cancer,
they should speak to their GP.”
Medical School Research Meeting.Prize WinnersMany thanks to all
who participated in and all who helped prepare for the 9th Annual
Medical School Research Meeting. It was a very successful two days
of events with lots of interesting talks. Congratulations to the
following prize winners:ORAL PRESENTATIONS1st Place – Paul Collini,
Department of Infection & Immunity2nd Place – Caroline Gray,
Department of Cardiovascular Science3rd Place – Ryan Beveridge,
Department of OncologyPOSTER PRESENTATIONS1st Place – Sarah-Jane
Lunt, Department of Oncology2nd Place – Andriy Samokhin, Department
of Cardiovascular ScienceCongratulations to the winners and well
done to everyone who presented their research as either an oral or
poster presentation.British Association for Cancer Research
Graduate Students Special Offer - from 1st May 2013 to 30th April
2014 - Join the BACR for free!BACR Membership entitles you to:
· Attend BACR Special Conferences and Workshops at a reduced
rate which will enable you to network and establish collaborations
with leaders in cancer research from both academia and industry.
Present original clinical and experimental data and compete for
poster/presentation prizes.
· Receive twice yearly newsletters and access an interactive
website for up-to-date information on activities with email alerts
advising you of job vacancies, meetings and deadlines.
· Automatically become a free member of the European Association
for Cancer ResearchAfter your first year as a BACR member you will
have to pay a fee of £25 p.a. but this is really good value because
you become eligible for financial assistance to broaden your
horizons by attending international and national cancer research
meetings.
· After your first (free) year as a BACR member you can apply
for a Student Travel Award of up to £1000 to cover attendance at a
Cancer Research meeting where you have submitted an abstract and
will present your work. You can apply for up to 2 bursaries whilst
being a student (one meeting must be in the UK).
So... don’t hide away in your lab! Get out and about and get
networked! Get funding to make your mark at conferences and make
connections to further your cancer research careers! The BACR has a
long tradition of nurturing graduate student members. We listen to
what you need and have a student representative on our Executive
Committee. We have a Facebook Group just for BACR students so that
you can network with fellow student around the country.
Join BACR today! www.bacr.org.uk
Diary DatesSeminar Series – for information, please see:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-research-centre/news-and-events/seminar-series
5th July 2013 – ‘Translational Cancer Research – from Lab to
Clinic’ - Sheffield - Leeds - Leicester Tri-Centre Workshop – This
workshop is to be held at The Ridge, Ranmoor Student Village,
Sheffield from 10.00am to 16.30pm. There will be the opportunity to
take part in one to one discussions with colleagues from the
Pharmaceutical Industry, CR-UK DDO and YCR – please contact
[email protected] for further information.Aims:1.Educate
clinicians and scientists on how to translate laboratory
discoveries into the clinic. 2.Showcase Centre / ECMC successes to
invited stakeholders (Industry, NCRN, CR-UK, YCR).3. Share best
practice and develop collaborative links.Workshop Agenda:Case
studies – from lab to clinicChair: Penella WollAurora kinase
inhibitors - Alan Anthoney (Leeds)Polyphenolic phytochemicals in
chemoprevention and therapy - Will Steward (Leicester)RANKL
inhibitors - Rob Coleman (Sheffield)PartnershipsChair: Rob
ColemanCancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office: – the ‘Whats’
the ‘Whys’ and the ‘Hows’ - Nigel Blackburn (CR-UK)Pharma-Academia
Clinical Partnerships: Working Together to Develop New Cancer Drugs
- Valerie Baker (AstraZeneca)Personalised Medicine: The Challenges
of Translating Biomarkers into Clinical Diagnostics - Jill Walker
(AstraZeneca)Early phase trialsChair: Chris Twelves Setting up a
phase I unit: The Leicester Experience - Anne Thomas
(Leicester)Developing your early phase research: the role of a
Clinical Trials Unit - Sarah Brown (Leeds)The role of the consumer
in early phase trial set-up. What is a consumer? - David Ardron
(Sheffield)Biomarkers – from lab to clinicChair: Will Steward
Delivering proteomic biomarkers to the clinic - Naveen Vasudev
(Leeds)Plasma DNA as a biomarker for cancer - Jacqui Shaw
(Leicester)Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation: A radical new MRI contrast
enhancement method on the verge of translation to the clinic -
Martyn Paley (Sheffield)The event is free to attend thanks to the
generous support of InKForge:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/faculty/medicine-dentistry-health/thinkahead/inkforge
The Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health has launched the
Industrial Knowledge Forge (InKForge), aimed at embedding
industrial career development training for researchers at the
University of Sheffield by developing close links with industrial
partners.Registration can be made at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-research-centre/news-and-events/tcr-booking-form.
26th July 2013 - CR-UK/YCR Sheffield Cancer Research Centre’s
Summer Barbecue – The Oncology and Cancer Research Centre Summer
BBQ tickets are now available priced £5.00 for adults and £2.50 for
children ten and under, babies – no charge. This is open to all
staff/students involved with the Sheffield Cancer Research Centre
as well as family and friends. So bring the kids and meet the rest
of the Sheffield Cancer Research Centre community. The venue is Dam
House, just off Mushroom Lane in Crooks Valley Park
www.damhousesheffield.co.uk. The party starts at 4:30 pm with a
kids disco and bouncy castle followed by a barbecue from 5:30-7:00.
There will be Halal and Vegetarian options available and a hog
roast which is pretty much the other end of the spectrum. Dam house
BBQ comprises Burgers, Hot Dogs, Chicken Skewers, Vegetable
Skewers, Chips, Salad, Coleslaw. A selection of desserts including
Cheesecakes, Cakes, Gateaux and ProfiterolesWe will have a band
playing between 7:00 and 9:pm with a light snack/nibbles to keep
you going around 9:00. The band is the Seven Tors and you can
listen to them here http://seventors.com/about/
http://www.youtube.com/user/SevenTors. There will be a disco until
late after that.Optional dress code of American tourist in Hawaii
with prizes for best/worst dressed touristTickets are now on sale
from:· Medical School G Floor Rachel Doherty - GU02· Medical School
F Floor Toby Holmes - FU32· Medical School E Floor Rachel Daniel -
EU25· MBB Firth Court Sally Thomas - D43· Weston Park Hospital Anne
Cockhill & Julie Vickers You should not have to look far to get
a ticket and they will be available until the 12th of July. Please
print your name on the back of the ticket stubs and make you food
choice clear. Dam house will do their best to assist requests that
are made in advance but please make them via Toby Holmes
([email protected]). Requests have been made to the relevant
authorities for excellent weather and we hope to see you all at Dam
House on the last Friday in July.
13th September 2013 - Sheffield Neuro-Oncology Workshop - 13:00
- 17:00 (lunch will be provided) -Sheffield Institute for
Translational Neuroscience, 385A Glossop Road, S10 2HQThe CR-UK/YCR
Sheffield Cancer Research Centre is currently defining a
neuro-oncology research strategy and sees this as an important
future strategic growth area. As part of our future strategy and
within our CR-UK Centre application and YCR Endowment spending
plans we have proposed:1.A potential senior academic appointment in
neuro-oncology2.A potential 3 year post-doctoral fellowship in
neuro-oncology3.2 research PAs in neuro-oncology4.Fully-funded
biobanking of brain tumours, body fluids and patient
data5.Pump-prime funding opportunities6.Well-funded clinical and
non-clinical PhD studentships7.Funding for ACF, Academic F2 and
BMedSci projects8.CR-UK Strategic Funding call available from
September 2014 You can register for this event at:
(http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-research-centre/workshops/neuro-oncology)
If you have any thoughts or comments to make on this subject please
get in touch with Lance Burn ([email protected]) before the
event so that your ideas can be incorporated.
11th October 2013 - SCRC - INSIGNEO Workshop – This workshop is
to be held at The Edge from 10.00am to 17.00pm (details to follow).
Please save the date:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-research-centre/workshops
28th February 2014 – Annual Cancer Research Forum – please save
the date, details to follow.
External Events4th July 2013 - Academy of Medical Sciences Run
Workshop - Want to present your research and ideas effectively in
front of an audience or funding panel? Want to get better at
balancing your clinical and academic responsibilities? Do you need
to take a step back and remind yourself what you want from your
career? The workshop is especially aimed at postdoctoral
researchers. Places are free. For more information and o book,
please contact: Selda Boztepe, Programme Officer, Academy of
Medical Sciences, [email protected] or 020 3176
2162.
