New study aims to kill paediatric brain cancer cells

Brain Tumour Research

2 min read

During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we are delighted to announce that a new Brain Tumour Research-funded PhD student will be joining the team at one of our Centres focused on finding a cure for paediatric brain cancers.

It has been one year since the opening of our Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, London and earlier this week, some of our supporters visited the lab to learn more the great progress being made to find, test and validate new treatment options for paediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas (PDHGG).

PhD student Carla Fuentes-Guerra Bustos will build on work by Professor Chris Jones and the team at ICR which identified proteins that the cancer is dependent upon. She aims to make new molecules to target these proteins and selectively kill PDHGG cancer cells.

Carla said: “I am thrilled to begin my PhD at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at ICR to contribute to groundbreaking multidisciplinary research for PDHGG. Being part of such an innovative environment, I aspire to pave the way for more effective treatments and better outcomes for patients.”

This multidisciplinary study will involve both biology in Prof Jones’ lab as well as chemistry in the lab of Dr Gary Newton in the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at ICR. The collaborative approach brings together different disciplines within ICR to translate exciting research discoveries into new medicines to tackle PDHGG.

The research gives much-needed hope to the families of children diagnosed with high-grade gliomas, who face a poor prognosis of just nine to 18 months.

Following the ICR lab tour, Sophie Penrose, who lost her 13-year-old daughter Ella (pictured above) to an undiagnosed brain tumour in 2022, said: “The money we've raised won't bring Ella back but I hope it makes a difference for families in the future."

You can help us continue to fund vital research into childhood brain tumours and build a network of experts like Carla by making a donation. However big or small, your support can make a big difference.