Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris paid a visit to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London. In her role as Chair of the Brain Tumours APPG, Rebecca was attending the launch of a new charity ‘In Sue’s Name’ aiming to raise money for brain tumour research. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Rebecca was given a guided tour around the state of the art laboratory and learnt about the work going on there. The research will focus on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and most aggressive type of malignant brain tumour found in humans. It is being led by Professor Silvia Marino, a leading brain tumour scientist and neuropathologist based within Queen Mary’s Blizard Institute. Professor Sheer, also from Queen Mary, and Professor Brandner and Dr Rees at UCL Institute of Neurology will be the other key partners in this initiative.
The aim of the research is to increase understanding of this type of aggressive brain tumour in the hope of identifying more specific drugs which target the tumour cells.
Rebecca commented:
“It was fascinating to be a given a tour around this excellent facility. It truly is a state of the art lab and the work that they undertake there is incredible. Facilities like this are vitally important if we are to find cures for this terrible disease that kills so many young people. The Danny Green Fund in Castle Point is one of several charities which raise money for research which costs over £1000 a day to fund!”
Rebecca’s Office Manager, Sam, is running the London Marathon in an effort to raise £3000 for Brain Tumour Research. The money raised will go part of the way to funding more centres of excellence for brain tumour research like the one at Queen Mary University. Increased funding into research is the only way to find a cure for this terrible disease. To donate please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SamNahk