The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence
The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence is dedicated to advancing the development of new treatments for glioblastoma, with the aim of producing the evidence required to rapidly progress these treatments into clinical trials for patients in Scotland and beyond.
The Scottish Centre is based at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and is led by Professor Steven Pollard and Professor Anthony Chalmers. It is funded through a game-changing collaboration between Brain Tumour Research and Glasgow-based Beatson Cancer Charity.
Glioblastoma is the most common high-grade primary brain tumour in adults, with 3,200 people diagnosed in the UK each year. Despite advancements in the diagnosis and categorisation of these tumours, treatments have remained unchanged for decades and progress towards new treatment options has been incredibly slow.
The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence is home to the UK’s largest group of glioblastoma researchers and is bridging the gap between the discovery of potential new treatments for glioblastoma and getting these treatments to patients. Their multidisciplinary approach for drug discovery and testing will provide the preclinical data needed to attract the investment that funds clinical trials. It will increase the number of trials available for glioblastoma patients in Scotland and beyond.
Professor Anthony Chalmers introduces the work taking place at The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence:
Developing new treatments for glioblastoma patients
-
Developing new effective drugs for glioblastoma
Scientists at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence are seeking and developing new drugs that can target and kill the cancer-causing cells that drive the growth of glioblastoma. It is hoped this can create more effective treatments for this aggressive brain cancer.
The team has already identified a few promising candidates and is gathering the evidence needed to get these into clinical trial. The Scottish Centre is also looking for new drugs that are able to cross the blood brain barrier (a natural protective membrane that prevents harmful substances from entering the brain, including many medicines). -
Improving how we test new medicines in the lab
The research team is refining the way they test new drugs in the laboratory to better replicate real-world glioblastoma tumours.
All new and promising drugs are tested on models in the lab to determine if they are effective and safe. By improving how well these models mimic the human disease, the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence will strengthen the reliability of their drug testing results and increase the likelihood of a new treatment succeeding in human trials – an area where most new discoveries fail.
The Scottish Centre already has a world-class drug testing platform and is expanding it to include treatment changes brought about by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as to contain the immune cells that influence tumour growth and response to treatment. -
Training the next generation of researchers
The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence is committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of brain cancer researchers.
By training, mentoring and integrating young scientists and clinicians through PhD studentships and research assistant positions, the Centre is building a community of researchers who can make a clinical impact in the coming decades.
Working collaboratively with Beatson Cancer Charity
In 2024, Brain Tumour Research embarked on a game-changing collaboration with Glasgow-based Beatson Cancer Charity to raise the funds needed to establish the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The partnership leveraged Brain Tumour Research's extensive experience in the medical research field and Beatson Cancer Charity's strong community presence and expertise in cancer care in Scotland.
The Scottish Centre, launched in January 2025 with £2.4 million funding over five years, is the Charity’s first in Scotland and harnesses the brain power of local researchers to benefit brain tumour patients in Scotland - and beyond.
The Scottish Centre hosts scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and has brought together the largest group of world-leading brain cancer experts in the UK to accelerate research into glioblastoma. It is focused on ensuring that promising new scientific discoveries progress efficiently into trials, bringing improvements for patients now and in the future.
Brain Tumour Research CEO, Dan Knowles, said: “New, improved treatments for glioblastoma patients are desperately needed. At present, new discoveries and approaches are not progressing quickly enough into clinical testing in patients. The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence is helping to bridge this gap, leading to pivotal preclinical proof-of-concept data to support clinical trial development for patients. The Centre represents a significant investment in Scotland and complements our other Centres of Excellence at the University of Plymouth, Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, and the Institute of Cancer Research.”
Meet the research leads
-
Professor Steven Pollard – University of Edinburgh
Co-Director of the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence
-
Professor Anthony Chalmers – University of Glasgow
Co-Director of the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence
