York academics reveal ground-breaking cancer research

YORK scientists have revealed ground-breaking new research in the fight against cancer.

Three Bears Foundation, a York-based charity focused on the fight against pancreatic cancer, are sharing details about a pioneering three-year research project that will investigate the molecular biology of pancreatic cancer and the ways to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Funded by York St John University and the charity itself, the Three Bears Research Fellow is being supervised by Professor Thomas A Hughes from the Hughes Group.

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His work will explore whether cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), cells that work to protect cancer cells from chemotherapy, can be stopped from having a negative impact in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Having seen past fibroblast projects that worked in the treatment of breast cancer, Dr Hughes felt that the similarities in both diseases may lead to advances that could better improve chemotherapy responses (and therefore improve cancer survival) in patients with pancreatic cancer.

On the project, Professor Thomas Hughes, professor of bioscience and academic cancer biologist with an extensive record of leading research in biomedicine, said: “The aim of my research is to increase understanding of the biology of cancers, with a view to using these new insights to improve cancer outcomes.”

“At the moment, the proportion of people who live even one year after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is really low and we desperately need better treatments.

“I’ve always wanted “to cure cancer”, this is what I used to say I was going to do when I was 10 years old in science lessons, maybe this project is my chance.”

Three Bears is a York based charity, set up by Chris Burn – who unfortunately lost his mother Jane to pancreatic cancer, to help raise and maintain awareness of pancreatic cancer on a local level and help fight to find an effective treatment to give others a higher chance of survival.

To date, the charity has raised over £150,000 and has worked closely with local trusts and Pancreatic Cancer UK to ensure the money can be spent to support other families; they’ve also donated £35,000 of the new state of the art ‘Three Bears Family Room’ at the York Against Cancer Leveson Centre located at York Community Stadium.

Mark Burn, Three Bears Foundation Trustee: “We are very excited to be sponsoring a 3-year research project at the York St John biomedical research department.

“The Three Bears Research Fellow project will cost £20,000 a year to fund and will be looking at how therapeutic combinations could be used to improve chemotherapy responses and therefore improve survival of pancreatic cancer.”

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to support research happening right here in our hometown of York.”

If you wish to donate to the Three Bears, you can do so here and the group are also seeking people who may do fundraisers– if you might be interested, contact info@threebears.org.uk for more info.