11 May 2011

Cancer experts to gather in Dundee

Cancer experts from leading centres in Dundee and Belfast will gather later this week to discuss the latest advances in research and foster future collaborations.

More than 100 delegates are expected for the Dundee-Belfast Cancer Centres’ Joint Symposium, which takes place on Thursday May 12th and Friday May 13th at the University of Dundee.

Dundee and Belfast are both Cancer Research UK Centres, drawing together world class research and medical expertise to provide the best possible results for cancer patients nationwide.

'There are strong common themes of cancer research across the Dundee and Belfast Centres, and this meeting will help us to work together in key areas of clinical importance,' said Professor Paul Clarke, one of the organisers.

Themes of the symposium include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, skin cancer and responses to radiation.

Dundee was the first Cancer Research UK Centre established in Scotland and is helping set the pace for national and international progress in bowel, breast and skin cancer. The Centre brings together researchers and support from the University of Dundee, Cancer Research UK and the NHS Tayside.

Notes to Editors:

About the Dundee Cancer Centre

• The Dundee Cancer Centre is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside, which will translate state-of-the-art cancer research into improved public health and better outcomes for patients in Tayside and North East Fife.
• Researchers at the Dundee Cancer Centre focus on developing new ways to treat, diagnose, and prevent cancer - particularly bowel, breast and skin cancers.
• Work at the Dundee Cancer Centre will build on Dundee's world class research in life sciences, radiotherapy, surgery and new highly advanced image-guided surgical techniques.
• Through an established Clinical Research Centre network in Dundee, and the excellent standard of care offered through NHS Tayside, the Dundee Cancer Centre will ensure people across the area have the opportunity to benefit from the latest treatments.
• The Tayside Tissue Bank (www.tissuebank.dundee.ac.uk), which manages the collection, storage and research use of tissue from a wide variety of cancers, is an integral part of the Dundee Cancer Centre and acts as a key link between bench and bedside.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902