The Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund

Finances

Review of Activities, Achievements and Future Plans 2021.

The lockdown caused by the Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic, which hit in March 2020, caused a complete shutdown of research work at St George’s, University of London, except for research into the pandemic itself. During the early part of the lockdown, whilst respecting Government and University guidelines on safe working, our research team did what they could to keep the research moving, by analysing data and carrying out mini projects on cancer cells. Dr Androulla Elia, our research leader, took the opportunity to interview candidates for the role of Research Assistant and successfully recruited an experienced researcher who had worked for us previously. Thankfully, our research was able to restart in full in February 2021.

Donations received during the year fell short of expectations, no doubt partly due to the effect of the pandemic and the understandable desire of donors to conserve their cash. Also, there’s no doubt that significant donations to larger, more popular Charities took donations away from smaller Charities like our-selves, but importantly, those significant donations went to good causes.

Our research is now moving ahead and hopefully, we will be able to give a more positive Review next year.

Review of Activities 2020.

Until the Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March 2020, research at St George’s University of London continued but at a significantly reduced rate whilst recruitment of a new researcher was undertaken. The research concentrates on identifying proteins which combined with standard chemotherapy treatment, could kill cancerous cells and modify the behaviour of cells surrounding those cancerous cells. Professor Androulla Elia continues to lead the research but it’s important to have a hands-on researcher employed full time in the Laboratory. As previously, we relied heavily on student BSc researchers working in teams, who were able to continue data analysis whilst working remotely. Recruitment has unfortunately been curtailed by the lockdown restrictions but will be recommenced as soon as circumstances permit.

We mentioned in the Review of Activities for 2019, that due to financial constraints, we had to suspend funding research led by Prof. Gus Dalgleish at St. George’s. The research, which we’d funded for some 25 years, concentrated on identifying combinations of drugs to fight pancreatic cancer and on getting those combinations into the right dosage and order of application. During the year, an article on the result of this research was accepted for publication in the magazine “Clinical and Translational Oncology”, an international journal devoted to fostering interaction between experimental and clinical oncology. This indicates the importance with which the results are viewed and is a major step forward. We are proud to have been associated with this research.

YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2019 – REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE PLANS.

During the year, our research at St George’s University of London, has continued, albeit at a reduced pace. Our main area of research has concentrated on identifying proteins which could kill cancerous cells and which, with a combination of standard chemotherapy treatment, can affect the behaviour of cells around those cancerous cells. This research continues to show that the growth and survival rate of pancreatic cancer cells can be reduced.

During the year, we relied heavily upon student BSc researchers working in teams lead by a qualified Professor. This is beneficial, as new ideas and thoughts are generated. A vast array of data has been generated which needs further in-depth analysis and we will shortly be actively recruiting a full-time experienced research assistant. This approach has enabled us to build our financial resources so that we can support the team going forward.

The other team at St George’s continued their research into the application of various combinations of drugs. “Combination” could mean physical combination, drugs taken at the same time, maybe one before the other, maybe one on one day and the other on the next etc. This research has progressed well, but due to financial constraints we have, unfortunately, now ceased our involvement in this area of research. We do, however, maintain a strong relationship with the research team.

YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2018 – REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE PLANS

During the year, our research has continued. Both research teams at St George’s University of London feel they have made progress and we were able to support further research at Kingston University.

Research by one of our teams at St George’s into the use of proteins to kill cancerous cells, has continued and has confirmed that following the treatment of cancerous cells with a combination of Gemcitabine (which is the standard chemotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer) and a protein released by healthy cells and which can affect the behaviour of cells around them, that the growth and survival rate of pancreatic ceils is reduced.

  • pancreatic cancer cell death is induced and
  • there is an increase in the protein which suppresses cancerous cell growth. This is an area which is now being actively explored, as it is necessary to ascertain the mechanism behind the increase in the protein as well as the possibility that this tumour suppressor protein may be present in other cell compartments.

This research is ongoing.

The other team at St George’s has continued their research into the application of various combinations of drugs. “Combination” does not necessarily mean physical combination, but could mean drugs taken at the same time, maybe one before the other, maybe one on one day and the other on the next etc. This research has again progressed well.
We have been supporting this research for over 25 years and due to the dedication of the research team and the generous donations of our supporters, have seen real progress, but financial constraints mean we may not be able to continue to fund this part of our research much longer.

The short-term project at Kingston University in Surrey has now finished. The research involved examining the method in which laboratory produced proteins fix themselves to the surface of pancreatic cancer cells to help to kill those cells or to enhance immunity. This is important for cancer therapy. The team are pleased with the result of their research, which has also shown that an identified protein is over-expressed in pancreatic cancer. This could be useful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in pancreatic cancer.