News 2022

Patients with invasive breast cancer that had low scores on an investigational gene molecular signature had similar rates of local recurrence whether or not they received adjuvant radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery: December 2022

6 new PhD students began their studies with supervisors from CGEM

Using animal modelling and human transcriptomic datasets, Edinburgh researchers demonstrated that FAK-IL6 signalling amplifies pathways associated with immune suppression and poor patient prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Dr Laird will carry out a 3 year research project in collaboration with CGEM and IGC’s Professor Tim Aitman, investigating the use of cell free DNA to monitor kidney cancer

A recent study has demonstrated that, contrary to recent reports, the transcriptional output of oncogenes carried on extrachromosomal DNA in glioblastoma stem cells is driven by the copy number of the ecDNA, rather than their spatial localization into transcriptional hubs: December 2022

Radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery in conjunction with chemotherapy or tamoxifen to treat early breast cancer reduces the risk of the disease returning in the same breast in the next ten years but makes little difference to that risk thereafter. Nor does it improve overall survival after 30 years.

Poster and presentation awards to team behind a recent study highlighting the use of digital droplet PCR to monitor HPV in cell-free DNA from patients with head and neck cancer, led by Professor Tim Aitman and Mr Iain Nixon

Scientists at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer investigating the mechanics of the early stages of lung cancer have identified a new potential treatment, which could also aid early detection of the disease: November 2022

Generation Scotland and VIKING genes data used to help identify genetic variants associated with height

Professor Hayward was highly-ranked in Research.com's "Best Female Scientist 2022" list, which ranks the top female scientists in the world

Our Institute’s Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship (XDF) Programme Annual Symposium took place on the 5th of October delivering a feast of cross-disciplinary science

On 18 September a group of passionate staff and students from the Institute of Genetics and Cancer walked in aid of the Edinburgh Research into Cancer (ERIC) Fund: October 2022

The new node brings together state-of-the-art biological imaging instruments from world class research environments, including the Advanced Imaging Resource facility at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer: October 2022

Results of an international study with its UK component led from Edinburgh has led to approval of the first ever treatment reducing relapse after kidney cancer surgery: October 2022

CGEM’s Dr Pete Bankhead is joint winner of Royal Microscopical Society Award for Data Analysis in Imaging

Summary: A team of researchers from the MRC Human Genetics Unit use neocentromeres as a model system to provide insight into the properties of canonical centromeres: September 2022

BHF Fellowship awarded to Dr Hillary to explore new biomarkers for cardiovascular disease in Generation Scotland

Congratulations to Professor Riccardo Marioni on being promoted to Personal Chair of Molecular Epidemiology of Ageing

Congratulations to Dr Pete Bankhead on being promoted to Reader

Congratulations to Adelaide Young, Marta Canel, Øyvind Almelid and Jareth Wolfe on recently receiving National Postdoc Appreciation Week Awards for their work at the Institute: September 2022

Edinburgh researchers contributed to a study describing a novel approach for mapping cell states, modelling cell state transitions and predicting targeted interventions to convert cell fate decisions: September 2022

A quest to find the genetic signal to one of the world’s most puzzling medical conditions is being led by Edinburgh researchers: September 2022

Why are brain tumours so hard to treat? What's it like living with brain cancer and what role does research have in developing our understanding of cancer? In 2022, we shone a light on brain cancer to answer these questions and more.

Our postdoctoral researcher Piotr Manasterski completed a gruelling IRONMAN Tallinn event to raise awareness about the importance of sarcoma research: September 2022

Wendy Bickmore's team use protein degradation and synthetic activation approaches to investigate the action of genetic switches called enhancers at various distances: September 2022

We're delighted to announce the latest winners of the Early Career and Hastie Career Advancement Fund Awards. September 2022

A new fund has been launched by the Institute of Genetics and Cancer to support early career researchers in their journey to independence, thanks to a significant philanthropic donation from Hugh and Josseline Langmuir: September 2022

Women with an early form of breast cancer are more likely to stay free of the disease after an extra radiotherapy boost, new research shows.

A recent award from the Chief Scientist Office to Dr Kathy Evans will seek to understand the link between the gene SORT1 and Alzheimer’s disease

Dermatology Professor Sara Brown took part in an Edinburgh Fringe show as part of the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas. August 2022

Elena Hein, a second year student at the UoE was awarded a Biochemical Society summer studentship to carry out a research project in Cathy Abbott’s lab for 6 weeks in July and August 2022.

Building work has commenced for the new building at the Western General Hospital site, which will allow scientists at the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Cancer to investigate genetic conditions and cancers in greater depth and detail than ever before: August 2022

Our investigators report detailed clinical and histopathological characterisation of the largest pathologically confirmed cohort of ovarian carcinosarcoma patients to date: August 2022

Edinburgh researchers report a ligand-tetrazine conjugate approach to “track & treat” malignant cells that are capable of evading the immune system: August 2022

Edinburgh researchers used a unique sample set to provide new insights into endocrine therapy resistance in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer: August 2022

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Cancer map relationships between epigenetics, protein biology and brain health.

Edinburgh researchers show that RNA splicing is a key mediator of tumour cell plasticity and a therapeutic vulnerability in colorectal cancer: August 2022

DecodeMe, the largest genetic study for Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), publishes its protocol outlining the design of the research study: July 2022

​​​​​​​A recent publication in the journal Diabetes Care from Professor Helen Colhoun and Professor Paul McKeigue's groups, reports that although the incidence of type 1 diabetes rose sharply among young persons during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic that this was not a direct effect of COVID-19 infection itself. July 2022

The award, from Melanoma Research Alliance, will support a recent technology called "barcoding" which aims to help advance therapies in melanoma patients: July 2022

The collaborative study between the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow was co-lead by the Tamir Chandra Research Group and involved work by two Research Fellows from the Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (XDF) Programme: July 2022.

Edinburgh led study provides high-resolution picture of the molecular landscape in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, better defining patients who may benefit most from specific molecular therapeutics and highlighting those for whom novel treatment strategies are needed to improve outcomes: July 2022

The Medical Research Council has invested £200,000 in a new national network which will help scientists overcome barriers to working in interdisciplinary science: July 2022

Andrew Wood and colleagues develop new tool for modulating protein levels in vivo: June 2022

People with at least two grandparents from the Hebrides in Scotland are being asked to take part in a major genetic study.

A study by Edinburgh scientists provides important new information on the ability of cell adhesion molecules to relocate to the cell nucleus: June 2022

Professor Cathy Abbott has been elected as Trustee of Research Policy on the British Neuroscience Association (BNA) Council

Patients across Edinburgh with gout have successfully controlled their condition thanks to a novel self-management approach.

University of Edinburgh colleagues wish Professor David Porteous well for his retirement after four decades of research: April 2022

Key members of Network clusters include Institute scientists Ian Tomlinson (Cancer), Andrew Wood, Joe Marsh, Asier Unciti-Broceta (Degron Tagging) and Pleasantine Mill, (Congenital Anomalies): April 2022

Professor Sara Brown has been awarded philanthropic funding by the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust to test new drug treatments for eczema and related skin conditions.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) announced Professor Stuart Ralston as one of the successful applicants of its largest ever research grants round, after reviewing a record number of applications.

Tom’s work and contribution as an exceptional early career researcher has been acknowledged in the Biochemical Society’s annual awards: April 2022

Edinburgh researchers developed an orally bioavailable palladium activated 5-Fluorouracil precursor designed to evade anabolic and catabolic drug pathways: March 2022

Cross-disciplinary Fellow Didier Devaurs has received a SULSA award for his work using cutting-edge machine learning techniques to resolve challenges with deep mutational scanning: March 2022

By analysing the blood of over 9000 of our volunteers, researchers may have found a new way to predict when some health conditions might develop.

TestEd data suggests that public health messaging should acknowledge that reduced testing and under-reporting of positive Lateral Flow Tests could under-estimate community prevalence: March 2022

Research, including ORCADES and Viking Health Study - Shetland data, has used ancient DNA to rewrite the history of the Orkney Islands: February 2022

Our researchers demonstrated that loss of Integrin-Linked Kinase sensitizes triple negative breast cancer to SRC inhibition: February 2022

A team of researchers from the MRC Human Genetics Unit have found that the enzyme TOP1 is an important source of mutations in active genes: February 2022

Trametinib, currently used to treat skin and lung cancers, has been found to slow the progression of a form of ovarian cancer and increase the number of patients who respond to treatment, a clinical trial has found: February 2022

The charity has announced that experts in Edinburgh and Glasgow - the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre - will receive the funding over the next five years for their ground-breaking work as part of a unique chain of cutting-edge research hubs around the UK: February 2022

Research from the Jim Wilson Research Group suggests two blood proteins influence how long and healthy a life we live: January 2022

Dr Robert Hillary from the Marioni Group won the Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize for his PhD thesis developed at CGEM. The prize is awarded annually by the Genetics Society and the University of Birmingham to a student in a UK institution who has shown outstanding performance in quantitative or population genetics: January 2022

Virtual Lab Tour with Prof Neil Carragher’s Research Group

Scientists at the MRC Human Genetics Unit and Roslin Institute have launched a spinout company that aims to democratise genetic data access and cut from days to minutes the time it takes to analyse millions of genetic records: January 2022

The work, led by Alessandro Brombin and Liz Patton and in collaboration with Tamir Chandra, could potentially inform improved drug therapies for people living with melanoma: January 2022

A recent publication from Dr Kathy Evans’ research group in the journal Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology finds an association between the protein SORCS2 and double-strand breaks in neuronal DNA.

Professor Tim Aitman has been appointed the Academy of Medical Sciences regional champion for Scotland

Regional variation in chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer across Scotland has reduced significantly over the past 15 years, according to a new study: December 2021

Professor Tim Aitman received the medal on behalf of the team for significant achievements in pioneering a way to mass population testing in an epidemic: December 2021

Edinburgh clinicians contributed to a study that developed new AI-based predictor of response to cancer therapy: December 2021