Supporting ovarian cancer research
Researchers from Teesside University and collaborating institutes, clinical partners, and people with lived experience of ovarian cancer have come together to discuss future engagement and partnership opportunities.
The Ovarian Cancer Research Partnership Event held at the University’s National Horizons Centre (NHC) was held to mark World Gynaecologic Oncology Day.
Professor Vikki Rand, Director of the NHC, welcomed all the participants and initiated the event as part of the Teesside Oncology ResearCH (TORCH) programme.
Dr Sweta Sharma Saha, Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow in the School of Health and Life Sciences, discussed her ongoing projects at the NHC including industrial collaborative partnerships.
The event also heard from Dr Peixun Zhou about the challenges of targeting KRAS-mutated ovarian cancers and a research project with Dr Sharma Saha to address this challenge.
Dr Ifeoma Felicia Chukwuma, Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, also joined the event online. She will be undertaking research training at the NHC with Dr Sharma Saha through the ProBio Africa Fellowship Programme funded by the FEBS-IUBMB-FASBMB.
She will use her learnt skills to establish her own Ovarian Cancer Research team in Nigeria in collaboration with the NHC Ovarian Cancer Research team.
Dr Kalesh Karunakaran, Lecturer in Chemistry in the School of Health & Life Sciences, presented on the applications of proteomics-based approaches in understanding ovarian cancer biology and treatment response.
Dr Annalisa Occhipinti, Associate Professor in the School of Computing, Engineering and Digital Technology, discussed integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in ovarian cancer research.
Dr Occhipinti said: “It was an exciting opportunity to meet other researchers involved in the field and hear patients’ perspective.”
A patient advocate added: “It gave me a better understanding of what areas of research have been and are being developed.”
The event was also joined by the clinical team from the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Tees Valley Research Alliance.
Dr Asima Mukhopadhyay, Consultant, Gynaecologic Oncology, highlighted the ongoing clinical studies and the set-up of the South Tees Research, Education and Innovation (STRIVE) lab at The James Cook University Hospital for clinical sample collection and future Bio-banking initiatives.
Jeremy Barratt, Head of Research at the Wellbeing of Women Charity, emphasised the importance of Ovarian Cancer Research and funding opportunities from the charity at various career levels for clinical and non-clinical researchers.
The event helped identify key collaborative areas of research to establish and expand our Ovarian Cancer Research Programme with clinical and public engagement being an important focus for future studies.
For opportunities to find out more about ovarian cancer research and partnership opportunities, contact Dr Sweta Sharma Saha on s.sharmasaha@tees.ac.uk
