Study of cell function and gene expression in human cells and tissue

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Assessment of gene expression and cell function in human tissue and peripheral blood to aid target validation and disease positioning studies in oncology research

  • IRAS ID

    246390

  • Contact name

    Stuart Farrow

  • Contact email

    Stuart.Farrow@cancer.org.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    CRUK-TDL

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    4 years, 11 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    CRUK-TDL are developing novel drugs for cancer therapy. Access to human cells and tissue will help us to investigate the potential of these drugs, and to determine which cancers may be suitable for treatment with them.

    For example, there is a need to understand where the targets of the experimental drugs, and other related molecules, are found in both tumour and healthy human tissues. In addition, the function of certain cells from the tissue can be assessed in the laboratory to further our understanding of the biology underlying the planned therapy.

    In recent years, the therapeutic potential of modulating the immune system in the treatment of cancer has been recognized and we are investigating novel approaches in this area. The ability to perform experiments on human immune cells, for example isolated from peripheral blood, will help us to progress this work.

    We intend to access samples of human tumours, healthy tissues and peripheral blood which have been obtained by academic collaborators, commercial suppliers or the NHS-BT. The samples will be entirely anonymous so that the donors will not be identifiable to us.

  • REC name

    East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    18/EE/0366

  • Date of REC Opinion

    2 Nov 2018

  • REC opinion

    Unfavourable Opinion