Highlights 2023

"I am pleased to share some key developments and achievements that underscore our commitment to excellence in convergence cancer research.

I am very proud of the progress we have achieved in our research objectives. Most particularly, the organoid facility has made a pioneering breakthrough in developing stable organoids from Oestrogen Receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer patients. This achievement paves the way for a deeper understanding of this cancer type and for exciting reverse translation opportunities. I am also pleased to report the remarkable success of our translational efforts, leading to numerous impactful clinical trials. Many are detailed below, but, as an example, the development of a new Immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) technique for glioblastoma, now advancing to human clinical trials, strikes me as a prime example of the rapid and effective clinical translation of our discovery research findings. Multidisciplinary bi-institutional collaborative projects funded by our Development Funds have been instrumental in bridging cancer research with Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS). This year, for the first time we delivered a successful Joint Proof of Concept Award Competition with Imperial Wellcome Trust MedTechONE. This initiative, which funded five high-potential projects, marks a significant step in our journey towards innovative solutions in cancer therapy monitoring and treatment. International collaboration has also been a key focus for the Centre, leading to fruitful discussions with globally leading institutions. We have initiated dialogues with world-class institutions like NTU Singapore, TUM Munich, University of Copenhagen (BRIC), and EPFL Lausanne. These partnerships, which will be further developed in the coming years, will be pivotal in advancing our global vision for convergence science in cancer research. Looking towards the future, we are focused on expanding our student intake and research capabilities. We have partnered in two EPSRC CDT applications centred around chemical biology and machine learning, aiming to increase our PhD studentships to five per year. Furthermore, the renewal of our Centre's clinical training programme with substantial funding is a testament to our ongoing success and growth potential in training the next generation.

In my view these initiatives and achievements highlight the Centre's success to deliver pioneering technologies in both discovery and clinical research, and I eagerly anticipate even greater achievements in the forthcoming years."

2023 Highlights at the CRUK Convergence Science Centre

1. Overarching: Data Science Initiatives

Developing a New Data Strategy

In 2023, the CRUK Convergence Science Centre undertook a comprehensive initiative to consult with our data science community, culminating in the development of a new data strategy. This collaborative effort involved experts from various institutions and departments, and identified three primary areas of focus:

Multi-modal approaches to Discovery and Clinical Research

This priority addresses the integration of diverse data sources, such as multi-OMICs, imaging, and clinical data, to enhance discovery research and clinical trials. This approach is crucial for developing comprehensive mathematical and AI prediction models that can accurately predict treatment efficacy and disease progression. Despite the challenges in integrating multi-modal data, particularly in imaging and radiology, significant progress has been made, paving the way for more robust predictive models and innovative treatment strategies.

AI-assisted medical imaging and digital pathology

AI-assisted technologies are revolutionising medical imaging and pathology, providing new tools for diagnosis and treatment planning. By leveraging AI, researchers can now analyse complex imaging data more efficiently, leading to faster and more accurate diagnoses. Digital pathology, enhanced by AI, allows for high-throughput analysis of tissue samples, offering deeper insights into the molecular characteristics of cancer.

Use of Health Data for cancer stratification, detection, and monitoring

The utilisation of real-world patient data, despite its fragmented nature in the UK, holds immense potential for cancer research. Efforts are underway to improve the interoperability of Electronic Patient Records and other digital health records at a national level. The Centre has developed strategies and projects to incrementally address these challenges locally, keeping in mind the needs and requirements of NHS trusts and EPR system suppliers to enhance data integration and usability.

2. Research Engagement

Webinar Series

The Centre's bi-weekly webinars have been a pivotal platform for bringing together researchers from various institutions to tackle key challenges in cancer research. From September 2022 to December 2023, 19 webinars were organised across two series:

Converging on Cancer: Bringing together ICR and Imperial researchers across disciplines and faculties
Future Leaders in Convergence: Convergence PhD students-focused

These webinars featured 35 speakers, including 19 affiliates from Imperial College London and 15 from the Institute of Cancer Research.

Workshops

Thematic workshops, held every three to four months, served as a catalyst for new collaborations and helped identify pressing research challenges. Key workshops included:

Development Fund Call 2023.
Mathematical Oncology. Focusing on methodologies for Multi-Modal Analysis of Biological and Clinical Datasets.
Imaging Cancer. Discussing new approaches to Digital Pathology, Microscopy, and Medical Imaging, co-organised with the CRUK MACH3Cancer accelerator.
MedTechONE/Convergence Science Proof of Concept Workshop. Launching a joint call with MedTechONE to guide applicants through proof of concept requirements, featuring multiple experts and activities.

More info here.

Annual Symposium

The CRUK Convergence Science Centre's 2022/23 Symposium was held on December 7th, welcoming around 140 attendees. This event, featuring 13 speakers and a keynote address by CRUK CEO Michelle Mitchell, facilitated discussions on accelerating research translation for patient benefit.

More info here.

3. Significant Growth in Publication Output

From November 2022 to November 2023, Centre-supported projects resulted in more than 80 open-access scientific publications. This notable increase spans various disciplines, including life sciences, engineering, and computing. Collaborative efforts between Imperial and ICR/RMH authors have seen a significant rise, particularly in Engineering and Physical Sciences.

More info here.

4. Converging Discovery Research

Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Organoid Biobank

The Human Organoid Facility achieved a pioneering success by developing stable organoids from Oestrogen Receptor-positive breast cancer patients. This breakthrough is critical for researching this type of cancer, which has been challenging due to the difficulty in preserving ER expression in organoids. This advance supports ongoing research and potential new treatments, exemplified by the recent FDA approval of the ICR-developed AKT inhibitor capivasertib and the phase I/II trial of the Imperial-developed CDK7 inhibitor samuraciclib.

New Theranostics for Molecular Imaging

The Kramer-Marek team, with support from the Centre, advanced the development of affibody formulations for theragnostic purposes in glioblastoma and HER2-positive cancers. Significant progress was made in immuno-PET techniques for real-time, precise measurement of PD-L1 levels in tumours using targeted radiolabelled affibodies (publication). Additionally, the team developed with the Stevens Lab a new method for synthesising Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles (SPNs), which were successfully bound to HER2 antibodies and affibodies using click-chemistry, confirming their efficacy in vivo. These advancements hold promise for new probes to accurately assess HER2 expression in various cancers (publication).

Pancreatic Cancer Research

The Sadanandam team discovered that pancreatic cancer cells can switch their energy source from sugar to uridine, suggesting a new therapeutic target. This finding could lead to new treatments for pancreatic cancer and other aggressive cancers, such as lung, stomach, and brain cancers (publication). With the Centre's support, The Sadanandam and Temelkuran teams are developing a small-scale device to monitor glucose and uridine levels in real-time, significantly improving drug testing and facilitating clinical applications.

Reversing Prostate Cancer Therapy Resistance

Research published by the De Bono team indicates that prostate cancer treatment resistance can be overcome by preventing myeloid cells from entering tumours (publication). An investigator-led clinical trial showed that blocking signals used by cancer to attract myeloid cells could make advanced prostate cancers responsive to treatment again. This study, which builds on over a decade of research into how myeloid cells contribute to prostate cancer, demonstrates a new therapeutic strategy. The successful clinical trial results signify a paradigm shift in cancer therapy, moving beyond directly targeting cancer cells to influencing the tumour's ecosystem. The study united an international collaborative team, drawing on expertise from Australia, Switzerland, Italy, and the UK, including Imperial College London.

5. Interventional Science

Microbubbles in Cancer Drug Delivery

The ACTIVATE study (Bamber/Banerji), exploring acoustic cluster therapy combined with chemotherapy for liver metastases from gastrointestinal cancer, reported encouraging phase I/II trial results. The study is expanding to multiple centres. Additionally, an intercalated PhD studentship awarded to Tiondre Brown (Bamber/Overby) will explore deeper the therapy's mechanisms, aiming to refine treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Ultrasound Imaging in Treatment Monitoring

The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust launched a new clinical investigation to explore the usefulness of Vibrational Shear Wave Elastography for monitoring cancer treatment responses (Harris/Kierkegaard). This advanced ultrasound imaging technique could lead to faster implementation of tailored patient care and improved clinical outcomes.

High-Performance Computing in Radiotherapy

Collaborations between researchers from ICR (Oelfke/Wetscherek) and Imperial (Luk) have led to faster image reconstruction from 4D-MRI scans, potentially revolutionising real-time adaptive radiotherapy for challenging cancers such as liver, kidney, and pancreas cancers. By employing high-performance computing techniques, the team has reduced image reconstruction times, enhancing treatment accuracy and effectiveness while minimising side effects.