Brain Tumour Research at the University of Newcastle
The Northern Institute of Cancer Research (NICR) – University of Newcastle
The Childhood Cancer Research Group (CCRG) at NICR is focused on research aimed at improving the outlook for children with malignancies associated with a poor clinical outcome, including paediatric brain tumours (medulloblastoma), extra-cranial solid tumours (neuroblastoma, Ewing’s sarcoma) and relapsed leukaemias.
CCRG members play central roles in National and International co-ordinating groups for the research and treatment of children with cancer, including:
• the UK’s Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG)
• the International Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOP)
• the pan-European Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) network.
The group has extensive collaborative links with leading paediatric oncology centres worldwide
The Childhood Cancer Research Group (CCRG) at NICR brings together approximately 50 scientists, clinicians and clinician scientists from across the Faculty of Medicine.
They are involved in the research and treatment of children with cancer, and co-ordinate a vibrant programme of basic and translational cancer research in these diseases.
The overall goal of this multi-disciplinary team is to:
• Improve the outlook for children with cancer through advancing our understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive the development and therapeutic response of paediatric malignancies;
• Improve the application of these findings towards improved diagnostic strategies
• Optimise current therapies and the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Leader of the Paediatric Brain Tumour Research Group is Dr Steven Clifford, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Oncology, Chair of Faculty of Medical Sciences Children’s Cancer Research Group, University of Newcastle.
Steve’s research interests Include:
• The molecular basis of paediatric brain tumour development
• Molecular diagnostics for improved treatment individualisation in paediatric brain tumour patients
• Development and pre-clinical assessment of novel therapies for paediatric tumours
He is a member of:
• UK Children’s Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG)
• British Neuro-oncology Society.
• British Association for Cancer Research.
• American Association for Cancer Research.
In 2003, Steve was the winner of the British Association for Cancer Research award for achievement in translational cancer research.
His publications include:
• Lusher ME, Lindsey JC, Latif F, Pearson AD, Ellison DW, Clifford SC. Biallelic Epigenetic Inactivation of the RASSF1A Tumor Suppressor Gene in Medulloblastoma Development. Cancer Research 2002, 62(20), 5906-5911.
• Gilbertson RJ, Clifford SC. PDGFRB is overexpressed in metastatic medulloblastoma. Nature Genetics 2003, 35(3), 197-198.
• Ellison DW, Onilude OE, Lindsey JC, Lusher ME, Weston CL, Taylor RE, Pearson AD and Clifford SC. β-catenin status predicts a favorable outcome in childhood medulloblastoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2005, 23(31), 7951-7957.
• Uziel T, Zindy F, Xie S, Lee Y, Forget A, Magdaleno S, Rehg JE, Calabrese C, Solecki D, Eberhart CG, Sherr SE, Plimmer S, Clifford SC, Hatten ME, McKinnon PJ, Gilbertson RJ, Curran T, Sherr CJ, Roussel MF. The tumor suppressors Ink4c and p53 collaborate independently with Patched to suppress medulloblastoma formation. Genes & Development 2005, 19(22), 2656-2667.
• Lindsey JC, Lusher ME, Anderton JA, Bailey S, Gilbertson RJ, Pearson AD, Ellison DW, Clifford SC. Identification of tumour-specific epigenetic events in medulloblastoma development by hypermethylation profiling. Carcinogenesis 2004, 25, 661-8.
• Langdon JA, Lamont JM, Scott DK, Dyer S, Prebble E, Bown N, Grundy RG, Ellison DW and Clifford SC. Combined genome-wide allelotyping and copy number analysis identify frequent genetic losses without copy number reduction in medulloblastoma. Genes Chromosomes and Cancer 2006, 45, 47-60.
Steve and his team have received funding from:
• Cancer Research UK
• European Union (FP6)
• The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust
• Charlie's Challenge
• The Katie Trust
• North of England Children's Cancer Research Fund
• Sport Aiding Medical Research for Kids
• Ali's Dream
• Newcastle Healthcare Charity
Email: s.c.clifford@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 4422
Fax: 0191 246 4301
Northern Institute for Cancer Research
Paul O'Gorman Building
Medical School
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4HH