 ICT
Director Appointed
The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics'
new Director Professor Laurence Patterson has been speaking about his
exciting new role at the University of Bradford.
Appointed at the beginning
of January, Laurence is already looking forward to the challenge of leading
one of the country's major facilities in research and knowledge transfer
within cancer therapeutics.
He said: "We will be expanding
the excellent work which is already being done including a whole new approach
to work towards the discovery of cancer medicines which are less toxic.
"This is a unique project and
probably the largest of its kind in Yorkshire."
A Professor of Medicinal Chemistry,
Laurence was previously Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological
Chemistry at the University of London's School of Pharmacy. Laurence obtained
his BSc (Hons) in Applied Biology from the University of Hertfordshire
and his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from King's College, London.
He subsequently spent several
years in the pharmaceutical industry before taking up post as Reader,
then Professor of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry in the Department of Pharmacy
at De Montfort University, Leicester.
The design, synthesis and evaluation
of drugs that selectively kill cancer cells has been the research goal
of Professor Patterson for 20 years.
He is responsible for the discovering
that DNA binding of certain agents can be metabolically controlled. His
research has led to the invention of AQ4N, as a bio-reductive anti-tumour
agent, which is now in Phase I clinical trials. His work in tumour-specific
drug activation continues and has resulted in thirteen patents to date.
As part of his new role, Laurence
said he would be taking a new approach to the discovery of new medicines.
"I want to focus on an in-house discovery programme which is geared mainly
towards agents which are toxic to cancers but not toxic to the patient,"
he said.
"With certain medicines and
treatments patients cannot be given sufficient dose to create a benefit
because of the damage it can cause. "But what we need to find is new medicines
which will cut down on the side-effects, such as nausea and loss of hair,
but will be damaging to the tumour or the cancer.
"It's very exciting and I'm
delighted to have been given this opportunity."
Currently based at the Tom
Connors Cancer Research Centre in Laisteridge Lane, the Institute will
be on the main campus in a purpose-built modern base.
Last month, contractors demolished
a cabin building on the new site in Tumbling Hill Street in order to take
soil samples. Building work is expected to commence next month with work
to be completed in Spring 2006.
The facility will be based
next to the Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation (IPI), with which it
will work closely on the creation of new drugs.
The location on campus will
also allow more collaborative research between IPI staff and members of
the School of Life Sciences.
14 February
2005
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