From Cells to Therapies

Advanced laboratory-based testing is crucial for evaluating the safety of new cancer treatments. Traditionally, basic cell models (single layer of cells-2D) and animal testing are used to screen new drugs. However, these models do not always accurately replicate human responses. There is a need to develop more advanced screening models to provide more ethically friendly methods and greater confidence that therapies will be safe for human administration. The optimisation of 3D models containing different types of cells (cancer, structural, and blood vessel cells) enables a more accurate representation of human physiology, allowing a greater assessment of drug safety testing. In addition, tumour blood vessel models are well-known tools to mimic “Tumour home”, which can evaluate the efficacy of drugs to destroy blood vessels which is the root of tumours. These screening methods aim to destroy blood vessels, which are the source of oxygen and nutrients for cancer.

In humans, a large family of enzymes known as aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) plays a crucial role in protecting cells from toxic substances. Paradoxically, within the complex tumour microenvironment, these enzymes can be co-opted by cancer cells to enhance their survival against chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This contributes to treatment resistance and disease relapse. However, the elevated expression of ALDHs in cancer cells also presents a potential therapeutic opportunity. By targeting and inhibiting ALDH activity, it may be possible to sensitise drug-resistant tumours to standard treatments. This talk will explore strategies to exploit ALDH inhibition to overcome treatment resistance and improve outcomes for patients suffering from aggressive prostate cancer.

Every day, we breathe around 20,000 times, but how often do we stop to think about what’s in the air going into our lungs? In this talk, I’ll explore how the air around us quietly shapes our health. Air pollution isn’t just the smog we can see. It includes tiny particles and invisible gases from traffic, industry, heating our homes, and even sources we rarely consider. Although most of it is invisible, that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Some of these particles are small enough to travel deep into our lungs and even enter our bloodstream. Over time, exposure has been linked to conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and effects on children’s development. I’ll break down what air pollution really is, where it comes from, and what researchers are learning about how it affects our bodies. Most importantly, we’ll explore why air quality matters to all of us and what practical steps we can take, individually and together, to create healthier air. Because clean air isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s something we can work towards for healthier lives and communities.