Use of NCI Material from NHSBT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Use of Non-Clinical Issue Material from NHS Blood and Transplant to Develop Novel Therapeutics for Cancer and Chronic Genetic Disorders
IRAS ID
187110
Contact name
Amit C Nathwani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research office, UCLH
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The main aim of our research programme is to develop new therapies for NHS priority areas such as cancer and chronic disorders such as sickle cell disease and with these goals in mind we are pursuing a number of novel strategies through funding from the Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research.
In order for our research to progress it requires stringent pre-clinical screening to ensure safety and efficacy before we are in a position to begin evaluation in humans. This essential process requires access to human blood cells and tissue, which we aim to receive from the NHS Blood and Transplant Service (NHSBT).
The main aim of the NHSBT is to optimise the safety and supply of blood, organs, stem cells and tissues and match them to patients. However, during this process there is excess material which is unsuitable for clinical use but which may be made available to researchers.
Areas of interest in our group where this material would be used includes:
1. Engineering immune cells to be more able to recognise cancer cells throughout the body and destroy them
2. Developing protocols and methods which allow generation of large numbers of Natural Killer Cells; a key cell that can mediate anti-tumour activity.
3. Utilising CD34+ haemaatopoietic precursors (blood stem cells) to develop treatment strategies for chronic genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease.We are thus seeking ethical approval for access to excess material which would allow us to undertake detailed assessments of our novel therapeutics and accelerate benefits for patients.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0311
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion