The Role of Electrical Currents in Brain Tumours
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Role of Electrical Currents and Cell Signalling in Brain Tumours and Brain Tumour Stem Cells
IRAS ID
138989
Contact name
Colin McCaig
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Research summary
Current evidence suggests the existence of brain cancer stem cells that are highly resistant to available treatments. These cells differ from other brain cancer cells since they are able to self replicate and form different types of brain cells. Currently, the survival fro patients with brain tumours is very poor, with 14 months being the average after the best treatments are given.
As we still do not fully understand how brain cancer forms in the first place, we suggest investigating how cancer stem cells move and spread using small extracellular electrical gradients. This would potentially help in finding new methods to prevent the formation of brain tumours and identify how they form in the first place. Currently, there is evidence that normal stem cells in the brain move about during growth using small electrical currents. We hope to find out whether brain tumour stem cells rely on this phenomenon and if so how important it is for these cells to grow. The knowledge gained from this would then be used towards developing new treatments for this disease.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
14/NS/0015
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion