PhD candidate in immunology, Kirsten Ward-Hartstonge, is delighted to see her summer studentship research has made a contribution to understanding more about brain cancer.
Kirsten was awarded a summer studentship in 2013/14 to work on a study of a particular type of brain tumour—glioblastoma. The Centre for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR) contributed funding towards this project.
A paper from this research has just been published in Modern Pathology. Kirsten is thrilled to see that her studentship work has contributed to greater understanding of what may improve outcomes for patients. She is also grateful for the support of fellow investigators and advisors.
Kirsten says “Glioblastoma is a type of brain tumour with poor survival rates. Current treatments are not very effective. We have identified that some groups of patients have high infiltrates of immune cells in their brain tumour, called macrophages. Those with high infiltrates of macrophages have the poorest survival rates. New treatments that target macrophages may benefit those with high infiltrates and increase the survival of these patients. “
Read the article in Modern Pathology:
Telomere profiles and tumor-associated macrophages with different immune signatures affect prognosis in glioblastoma (PDF 3.4 MB)
Related CTCR research
- New treatments for childhood brain cancers
- Telomere maintenance in cancer
- Immune responses in colorectal cancer
Dr Tania Slatter, principal investigator, with PhD candidate Kirsten Ward-Hartstonge.