Solid cancers

Mae'r cynnwys hwn ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig.

Our aim is to improve the outcome of patients with cancer with a primary focus on clinical trials and linked laboratory research.

We are a highly collaborative unit with local, national and international links. We are formed of several clinical academics, three basics science groups and the Wales Cancer Biobank. We are particularly interested in the effects of multiple therapies on the cancer and the patient, and have current strengths in novel combination trials and radiotherapy trials.

We have funding from various sources including Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer UK, Medical Research Council and, within Wales, by Cancer Research Wales, Tenovus, the Life Sciences Research Network Wales and Health and Care Research Wales.

We have strong links to College Infrastructure units, such as the Centre for Trials Research (WCTU), The Wales Research and Diagnostic PET Imaging Centre and European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute (ECSCRI), and the NHS, particularly Velindre NHS Trust and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

Theme lead

Yr Athro Alan Parker

Athro Virotherapies Cyfieithu. Pennaeth Adran Canser Solid, Is-adran Canser a Geneteg

: +44 29225 10231
: ParkerAL@caerdydd.ac.uk

Area of interest

Alan is Head of Solid Cancers and Professor of Translational Virotherapies, where he heads the Viral ImmunoTherapies and Advanced Therapeutics Laboratory (VITAL) – a thriving group of ~20 exceptional scientists. His research is focussed on the development of oncolytic viruses as refined, tumour-selective agents which are able to “seek out and kill” cancer cells, leaving healthy cells uninfected. Once infected, cancer cells then overexpress virally encoded immunotherapies, effectively turning the tumour into a factory which produces anticancer medicines that facilitate its own destruction.

Principal members of staff

Name	Area of interest
Wales Cancer Bank	Wales Cancer Bank provide access to cancer samples for translational research projects
Welsh Cancer Research Centre	The Wales Cancer Research Centre is based within Solid cancers, and funded by Health and Care Research Wales and other partners. The Centre works collaboratively to support cancer research across Wales.
Professor Robert Jones Division of Cancer & Genetics Co-Director	Designing and delivering multi-centre early-phase clinical trials and associated translational research in various solid (including bladder, breast, and head and neck) cancers in collaboration with local, national and international collaborators.
Emeritus Professor Malcolm Mason and Dr Alison Parry-Jones	Collecting and curating tissue samples with a focus on breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer; supporting the generation of novel research groups in these tumours.
Professor Aled Clayton	Investigating the complex cell-communication roles of tumour exosomes in the microenvironment, and their utility as cancer biomarkers.
Emeritus Reader Zsuzsanna Tabi	Research group with an interest in T-cell immunology in cancer and changes with different therapies, with a particular strength in prostate cancer and mesothelioma.