On Thursday 6ᵗʰ March, the University of Plymouth hosted the Brain Tumour Research Symposium 2025; a unique opportunity to network with other experts in the field, and to foster and create collaborations that may ultimately drive forward game-changing research.
The event brought together clinicians from the local NHS trusts, as well as research scientists and medical students from the University of Plymouth, to discuss and showcase the latest innovative research on low-grade brain tumours.
During the day, Professor Michael Jenkinson from the University of Liverpool and Dr Jeremy Rees from University College London gave keynote speeches on topics including ‘From the incidentaloma to the clinically aggressive: changing the management of meningioma’ and ‘Low-grade gliomas – a 25-year journey’.
It was particularly insightful to learn about the management of treatment for patients with meningiomas and what steps are being undertaken – and the evidence being used to inform and help improve this.
Elsewhere on the agenda, discussions centred on the clinical history of low-grade gliomas and how the identification of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations has been a game-changer.
The vibrant programme of events also included a flash talk by Dr Rita For, from the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal, on ‘Zebrafish avatars to guide therapy in glioblastoma – a case study’. Dr For has been developing novel zebrafish models, called zAvatars, which test and predict how a patient’s cancer will respond to therapies. We were excited to hear how this innovative method and research is now in the early stages of being applied to brain tumours and could ultimately result in personalised therapy for patients.
Dr Joanna Cull, our Research Funding Officer (pictured above), attended the event and said: “For me, the highlight of the symposium was hearing from the early career researchers based at the University of Plymouth Centre of Excellence.
“This included learning about their research on the role of tumour cell metabolism in meningiomas, and studies into a new cell culture model that compares quiescent cancer cells – cells that are resistant to most therapies and the cause of disease recurrence – with other replicating cells.” Such research aims to act as a discovery platform to identify new treatment targets.
Following the symposium, Dr Cull joined with a group of Brain Tumour Research supporters to attend a tour of the laboratories at the Centre of Excellence.
Our Centre at the University of Plymouth is working to improve the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with low-grade brain tumours, including schwannoma, meningioma and glioma.
“After hearing all about the latest advances in research as part of the symposium, it was wonderful to see the laboratories in which this vital work takes place, and to experience the innovative facilities the Centre has to offer,” said Dr Cull.
“The supporters attending the tour had all raised money to fund days of research, and it was particularly inspiring to hear their stories in such close context to learning about the work currently being undertaken by our researchers in Plymouth.
“We look forward to attending next year’s Plymouth Brain Tumour Research Symposium and discussing even more incredible research advances, made possible by the generosity of supporters.”
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