Getting more drugs to glioblastoma tumour cells
Fast facts
- Official title: GlioGET: Isolating a new class of targeted peptides for glioblastoma therapy and diagnostics
- Lead researcher: Dr James Dixon
- Where: University of Nottingham
- When: October 2017 – December 2018
- Cost: £98,549
- Research type: Adult, Glioblastoma (High Grade), Academic
Research has shown that glioblastoma tumours are made up of a number of different cell types with different genetic mutations meaning that some cells respond to treatments whereas other are able to avoid them.
Dr Dixon and his team at the University of Nottingham have developed a new drug delivery method based on small molecular compounds, called peptides, that target unique sugars found on the surface of tumour cells. The team will identify different peptides that target particular cell types within the tumour so that in the future selective drugs can be attached to the peptide.
This would allow the most appropriate drug to be delivered to the cell type it will have the greatest effect on and could be revolutionary in targeting the whole tumour.
Research is just one other way your regular gift can make a difference
Research is the only way we will discover kinder, more effective treatments and, ultimately, stamp out brain tumours – for good! However, brain tumours are complex and research in to them takes a great deal of time and money.
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