Leicester Medical School
Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine

School of Medicine >> Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine >> Radiation and Oxidative Stress

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Radiation and Oxidative Stress Group

The major research aim of the Radiation and Oxidative Stress (ROS) Group is to elucidate both mechanisms and cellular factors that are responsible for  the deleterious effects of radiation and oxidative stress.  Our approaches encompass both the analysis of DNA damage & repair. plus assessment of genetic traits, and our studies range from the determination of fundamental mechanisms, to applied population studies.  Expertise and facilities within the ROS Group include, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay), immunotechniques, gene expression analysis (quantitative RT-PCR, Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarray), postlabelling techniques, analysis of gene-specific damage, genotyping and liquid chromatography.

Ultimately, a better understanding of processes that contribute to the deleterious effects of radiation and oxidative stress may lead to:

1. Superior radiation-based treatments for cancer
2. Evidence-based intervention strategies for the prevention of disease
3. Molecular identification of at risk populations

Specific research areas include (see individual Web pages for further details):

Fundamental

• Examination of a genetic basis for radiation sensitivity
• Measurement of specific oxidative damage at sensitive sites within genes and correlation to broad biomarkers
• Sources and physiological roles of extracellular lesions derived from DNA oxidation.
• Impact of nuclear organisation on oxidative DNA damage & repair
• Impact of phenotype/genotype in modulating cellular response to genotoxins
• Bioinformatic approaches to identifying oxidative stress-responsive pathways

Applied

• Alkaline comet assay as a rapid predictive test of radiotherapy in the treatment of bladder cancer
• Measurements of DNA oxidation products in biological matrices as markers of DNA damage and repair
• Life study co-factors in carcinogenesis of the uterine cervix in the socio-economically deprived.
• NCRN Phase II study of docetaxel/gemcitabine for relapsed cervical cancer.
• Characterisation of BASS2 as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for malignant gliomas.
• An open-label, dose-escalation Phase I study of 2 weekly intravenous doses of A4QN with fractionated radiotherapy in subjects with bladder cancer.

ROS personnel consist of over 20 scientists and clinicians based in the Biocentre (University main campus), the Robert Kilpatrick Clinical Sciences Building (RKCSB) and the Osborne Building (both at the Leicester Royal Infirmary). The Department is also home to the University's Forensic Pathology Section.

Permanent academic and clinical staff include:

Dr. G Don Jones, Senior Lecturer & Head of Group, Biocentre
Dr. Marcus S Cooke, Senior Lecturer, RKCSB
Dr. Mark D Evans, Lecturer, RKCSB
Dr. R Paul Symonds, Reader & Consultant, Osborne Building
Professor Guy Rutty, Head of Forensic Pathology, RKCSB