Assoc Prof Guilford gets HRC funding
21/07/2011
HRC Press Release
The key to curing cancer is early detection, as most tumours have begun to spread by the time obvious symptoms are noticed. It is vital to have methods that can be used to screen high-risk groups before symptoms appear. The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) has supported the development of both tests. The HRC Chief Executive, Dr Robin Olds, says: “Cancers of the bladder and prostate are very treatable if detected early. A highly accurate, non-invasive screening test like this will undoubtedly prevent some needless deaths.”
The research team is led by Professor Parry Guilford from the University of Otago, Dunedin. The HRC has also funded Professor Guilford to continue his work on drugs that are selectively lethal to cancer cells. Healthy cells produce E-cadherin, a protein that suppresses tumour growth, but the gene that produces E-cadherin is often ‘switched off’ in cancer cells. Professor Guilford and his team are searching for compounds that will destroy cells lacking E-cadherin, but not healthy cells with normal levels of the protein.
Read the entire press release on the HRC's website.