In this special episode of our podcast, we bring you a recording of a live 'Ask Me Anything (AMA)' event held by our Pancreatic Cancer Programme for World Pancreatic Cancer Day on 16 November 2023. The AMA webinar saw specialists from across different disciplines answering questions submitted by members of the public and discussing topics related to day-by-day living with pancreatic cancer. In alphabetical order, the AMA panel consisted of: Dr Bristi Basu, an Academic Consultant in Medical Oncology specialising in experimental cancer therapeutics at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Un ..read more

In this special episode of our podcast, Hui-Ling Ou is joined by Isobel Turbin to talk about inherited pancreatic cancer, genetic testing, and genetic counselling. They also discuss which genetic tests are currently available, why these genes are important, and how testing results may help pancreatic cancer patients. Dr Hui-Ling Ou is the Programme Manager for the Pancreatic Cancer Programme at the CRUK Cambridge Centre at the University of Cambridge, UK. Isobel Turbin is a Principal Genetic Counsellor within the East Anglia Regional Genetics Service, UK. She currently holds cancer genetic, ge ..read more

In today's episode, Ellie Wolmark is joined by Natalie Ellis, Ellen Nowak and Lauren Gardiner to talk about the development of the Arts Strategy for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH). They also discuss the benefits of the arts in cancer care and in supporting patient treatment and recovery. If you would like to get involved in the CCRH project by joining any of the groups that Ellen mentions in this episode, further information can be found at: www.cambridgecancer.org.uk/our-community/get-involved Natalie is Head of Arts at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Ellen ..read more

In this week's episode, Professor Florian Markowetz talks about his work and recent publication on chromosomal instability. Chromosomal instability is a dynamic process of DNA change, which leads to some DNA being present multiple times and some being lost altogether. Some cancers are dominated by this process of genomic disruption; ovarian, pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancer for example. These chaotic DNA changes mean that there are not good biomarkers present to guide treatment decisions. Florian's laboratory has found a structure underlying chromosomal instability and has identifi ..read more

Dr Marcel Gehrung talks about how his research at the CRUK Cambridge Centre led him to co-found the start-up Cyted with Rebecca Fitzgerald, Professor of Cancer Prevention and Director of the Early Cancer Institute at the University of Cambridge, UK, and Maria O'Donovan, lead pathologist for upper gastrointestinal cancer and diagnostic cytology at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Cyted combines innovative AI-driven diagnostics with a new sample collection method to detect and prevent oesophageal cancer, developed at Cambridge University ..read more

In this week's fascinating episode, Ellie Wolmark is joined by Dr Dario Bressan to discuss how the IMAXT Cancer Grand Challenge project has brought cancer researchers together with astronomers and video game designers to build the world's first virtual reality map of a tumour. By developing this entirely new way to study cancer, IMAXT could revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of people with the disease. Dario is Head of the IMAXT Laboratory at the CRUK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge ..read more

In the first episode of part three, podcast host Ellie Wolmark is joined by Professor Robert Rintoul and Lauren Wallis to talk about biological sampling. They discuss what biosamples and biobanks are, how they are collected and used, and why they are so important for both patient treatment and cancer research. Robert is Professor of Thoracic Oncology in the Department of Oncology at the University of Cambridge, and Honorary Consultant Respiratory Physician at Royal Papworth Hospital. Lauren is Translational Research Manager in the Urological Malignancies Programme at the CRUK Cambridge Centre ..read more

Ellie Wolmark introduces part three of our Integrated Cancer Medicine: Research in Focus series. In the coming episodes, the net continues to be spread a little wider to include conversations about biosampling, the IMAXT project, the company Cyted, personalised radiotherapy, and much, much more. As always you will hear discussions about research and research collaborations, the techniques that are being developed, and how they translate to the clinic to affect patient treatments and outcomes. Ellie is Communications Manager for Integrated Cancer Medicine at the University of Cambridge and the ..read more

In the final episode of this series, we are joined by a special guest, Robert Chuter, a researcher from the Christie Hospital. Robert shares with us his research into the impact radiotherapy has on climate change. We are all aware of the effects that we have on the world around us, and the way in which we minimise our impact on the environment is crucial for the future of the planet. Neil, a member of our Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Group, joins us this week to discuss radiotherapy, the environment, and what can be done to reduce our carbon footprint. Robert works with ..read more

Today, Andrew Robinson talks to us about adaptive radiotherapy, where we are with it now, and the potential it has for the future. Adaptive radiotherapy has been around for many years, but it is not currently standard practice. Essentially, there are different ways in which we can adapt radiotherapy treatment, which Andrew explains during this episode. Helene, a member of our Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Group, asks questions about what this may mean for radiotherapy practice and how the workforce may manage some of the associated challenges. Andrew is the Head of Radio ..read more