Registered Charity No: 1095931
Brain Tumour Research at the Leeds Institute For Molecular Medicine
Developing a Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence in Yorkshire
Andrea’s Gift is a Yorkshire based brain tumour research and patient support charity. Its Trustees’ have always held the belief that the way to find a cure for any disease begins with a serious commitment to long-term research and the shortage of dedicated brain tumour research centres in the UK contributes directly to the reduced number of groundbreaking research projects that have witnessed dramatic results in other areas of medicine.
The Trustees are committed to providing an opportunity for scientists and clinicians to work together in a conducive environment. Understanding that to achieve the best possible results we must work and communicate cross-functionally.
Our vision for a Yorkshire based centre of excellence in brain tumour research is based on three key areas:
Leeds Teaching Hospitals – Specialists working in the fields of neurosurgery, oncology, radiotherapy, paediatrics, nursing and pathology provide information and access to patients together with their responses and reactions to different treatment regimes; surgeons committed to providing scientists with tissue samples plus a wealth of experience in patient care and support needs.
University of Leeds – Operating within an excellent academic environment, the plans for the research unit has the support of two leading scientists - Professor Peter Selby, Clinical Director of the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine and Professor Alex Markham, Professor of Medicine, University of Leeds. Once established, the research team will be able to provide completely independent research and have access to University resources to aid in the publication of their work
Charity Support – Two Yorkshire charities, Andrea’s Gift and Candlelighters, a Leeds based children’s cancer charity have committed to work together to raise the funding needed for the project to develop and continue in the long term. Both charities will raise awareness of the centre to help and support the research team to attract additional funding from other groups. A third Yorkshire brain tumour charity, Levi’s Star is also in support of the project.
Such a facility will attract leading experts in the field of brain tumour research who will be able to work on the cutting edge of technology. They will be able to study the behaviour of different tumour types, how they react to traditional and emerging treatment regimes together with patient response to such treatments.
A selection board with representatives from the three groups above are currently in the process of recruiting a Senior Research Fellow to lead a brain tumour research team who will be based at the Leeds Institute for Molecular Medicine.
It is everyone’s vision at Andrea’s Gift that we can be part of the process that will one day enable scientists to understand the molecular and genetic mechanisms that cause tumours to form and grow within the brain. The medical teams involved in the treatment of patients will then use this information to develop, assess and exploit new therapies for the treatment of tumours.
By working in this integrated way, new discoveries will transfer as quickly as possible from the laboratory directly into treatments for patients.
Carol Robertson
Fundraiser & Charity Development Manager for Andrea’s Gift