Centre for Investigative and Diagnostic Oncology

More than a quarter of a million people arediagnosed with cancer in the UK every year anddoctors have estimated that cancer will affect one inthree people at some point in their lives.

Our approach The main areas we are focused on are:‰ Early diagnosis‰ Vital imaging technology‰ New cancer therapies

Our Research CentreIn 2008, Middlesex University established the Centrein the new Hatchcroft building.

Our people and their projectsUnder the overall direction of the eminentimmunologist, Professor Ivan Roitt FRS, theResearch Centre comprises a network ofinternationally renowned scientists (see below).

Electrical ImpedanceTomography (EIT)Led by ProfessorRichard Bayford (theinternational pioneer atthe forefront of thisground-breakingtechnology), EIT is a veryeconomical and non-invasive technique forimaging which involvesplacing a series ofelectrodes on the bodysurface and analysing theminute currents that flow

between them to reveal abnormal cell structuressuch as tumours.

Research on imaging of breast cancers has beenvery encouraging. We are developing a small EITdevice for detection of colorectal and prostatecancers. Professor Bayford is already using EIT toimage and monitor neo-natal lung function.

New cancer therapiesWe intend to use minute gold nanoparticles andliposomes targeted to bind specifically to tumourcells to deliver cancer drugs directly to the tumour tolimit any harmful side-effects caused by toxicchemotherapeutic drugs. We are particularlyinterested in colorectal and prostate cancers.

We wish to study the potential for tumour ablation byapplying an external energy field to targetedmagnetic nanoparticles.

Screening for early cancerProfessor Roitt and his team are developingdiagnostic microassays each providing multiple testsfor serum protein biomarkers or their autoantibodies.Combined with tests on DNA and analysis of thespectrum of low molecular weight breakdownproducts, unique combinations of the results shouldidentify the individuals at risk accurately.

Cancer vaccinesDr. Stephen Butler is particularly interested in theinvolvement of the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in theautocrine growth of bladder cancer cell lines. He isdeveloping a novel cancer vaccine which wouldevoke antibodies capable of neutralising thesegrowth factors.

Viruses and cancerProfessor Stephen Dilworth’s Virus Group iscentred on identifying new viruses that may beinvolved in forming cancers, and then establishingvaccination procedures to prevent this.

Using animal viruses they have identified a newprotein complex involved in switching on cancer cellgrowth. Inhibition of this protein cluster could lead todevelopment of anti-cancer drugs.

An arsenical anti-cancer drugWe have found that arsenic trioxide, can inhibitexpression of a key protein and producesprogrammed cell death in cells infected with humanpapilloma virus which is directly associated withcervical cancer.

We wish to unravel this process to see how it can beexploited for therapeutic purposes.

We are investigating the possible implication of thisvirus in other types of tumour.

The benefits of our workTangible benefits should include:‰ Faster and more efficient diagnosis‰ Improved monitoring of the efficacy of

cancer treatments‰ More effective new cancer therapies‰ Reduction in costs of diagnosis‰ Offering diagnosis to a wider community,

particularly in poorer areas

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Middlesex University Cancer Research Scientific StaffProfessor Ivan Roitt Director of CentreProfessor Richard Bayford Professor of Bio- Modelling & Informatics Professor Stephen Dilworth Professor of Cancer Cell BiologyDr. Andrew Tizzard Reader in Bio-EngineeringDr. Ajit Shah Reader in Bio-Analytical ScienceDr. Stephen Butler Reader in Biomedical DiagnosticsDr. Lucy Ghali Senior Lecturer in Molecular & Cellular BiologyDr. Christopher Ring Senior Lecturer in MicrobiologyDr. Frank Hills Senior Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry & ProteomicsDr. Mahmoud Nasse Lecturer in BiochemistryDr. Song Wen Lecturer in Cell BiologyDr. Torben Lund Senior Research Fellow in Cell Biology

l to r: Dr Stephen Butler, Professor Richard Bayford,Professor Stephen Dilworth and Professor Ivan Roitt.

External Consultant AssociatesProfessor the Lord Darzi Consultant & Head, Division of Surgery (Imperial NHS Trust)Professor Angus Dalgleish Consultant Oncologist (St. George’s Hosp. Med. Schl.)Professor Justin Stebbing Consultant Oncologist (Imperial NHS Trust)Dr. Patrizia Cohen Consultant Histopathologist (Imperial NHS Trust)Professor Kerry Chester Consultant Immunologist (University College London)Professor Thomas Rademacher C.E.O. Midatech Ltd. (Gold Nanoparticle company)Mr. Raj Persad Consultant Urology SurgeonMr. Keyoumars Ashkan Consultant Surgeon (King’s College)Dr. Atif Agaiby Consultant Dermatologist (Northwick Park Hospital)Dr. Peter Highfield Zilico Ltd. (Diagnostic Impedance Devices company)Dr. Andreas Demosthenous Reader in analogue and biomedical electronics (U.C.L.)

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