Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMCs) drive the discovery, development and testing of new treatments to combat cancer through the delivery of early phase clinical trials and translational research. There are two ECMCs in Scotland, which align closely with strategic focus and tumour themes of the CRUK Scotland Centre. They operate in close collaboration with both the Centre and one another to unify molecular testing and patient allocation to studies, as a Scotland wide approach to patients accessing phase I trials.
Edinburgh ECMC’s current priorities include:
- First-in-human drug development
- Improving treatments for brain cancer
- Targeting molecular sub-types of ovarian cancer
- Cancer immunotherapy
- Personalisation of radiotherapy
- Haematological malignancies
- Prevention and early detection
Links to more information about the Edinburgh ECMC: https://www.ecmcnetwork.org.uk/edinburgh and https://www.ed.ac.uk/cancer-centre/impact-and-innovation/translational-science/ecmc
Glasgow ECMC’s clinical studies include:
- Exploiting therapeutic targets in liver cancer
- Improving outcomes in advanced colorectal cancer
- Targeting the DNA damage response to improve outcomes for glioblastoma
- Optimising PARP inhibitors in high-grade serous ovarian cancer
- Improving outcomes for patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Advancing understanding of novel drug targets in urological cancers
- Improving pancreatic cancer outcomes through precision medicine
Link to Glasgow ECMC: https://www.ecmcnetwork.org.uk/glasgow