Welsh charity funds pancreatic cancer research

Welsh pancreatic cancer charity, Amser Justin Time, has made a donation of over £60,000 to the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute to help fund further research into this devastating disease.

One of Cardiff University’s flagship research centres, the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute is the only centre in Europe completely focused on cancer stem cell research, and it aims to develop new therapies that will transform the survival rates for patients suffering from all types of cancer.

The donation from Amser Justin Time is being used to fund the work of Pancreatic Cancer Research Associate, Dr Andreas Zaragkoulias, who joins the Institute from the University of Crete where he specialised in molecular cell biology and gene regulation in mammalian development and disease.

With a 5 year survival rate of less than 5%, pancreatic cancer is a particularly devastating disease and experts predict that it is set to overtake breast cancer to become the fourth-biggest cancer killer.

Working in the laboratory of Dr Catherine Hogan who leads research on Pancreatic Cancer at the Institute, Dr Zaragkoulias’ research will focus on the mechanisms of epithelial cells in pancreatic tissue and how they interact with each other.

“Early detection is key to improved patient prognosis, but knowledge of how this disease begins and develops at the cellular level remains insufficient.” explained Dr Zaragkoulias.

Dr Catherine Hogan added, “"I'm absolutely delighted that Amser Justin Time is continuing to support our research. This funding provides us with a valuable opportunity to strengthen our research team, nurture new talent in the field and build on our recent findings to further our understanding of the very earliest stages of pancreatic cancer.”

Founded in 2008 by Welsh TV and Radio personality Shân Cothi, Amser Justin Time was set up in memory of her husband Justin Smith (also known as Pepsi Tate from Welsh rock band Tigertailz) who sadly died in 2007 from inoperable Pancreatic Cancer.

Ms Cothi set up the charity with the simple aim of helping Pancreatic Cancer patients, their friends and their relatives. Since then, the charity has helped to raise awareness of this disease and to help patients, families and friends to cope via numerous fundraising events.

“After ten years of fundraising and unrelenting support from friends of Amser Justin Time it is an honour to fund such vital research into tackling this most cruel disease” said Ms Cothi.

“I’m delighted that we are able to support the work of a promising young researcher such as Dr Zaragkoulias”, she continued, “and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved for their hard work and continued efforts.”