Our aim is to develop and evaluate novel, clinically important anticancer agents. This encompasses new laboratory approaches to circumventing drug resistance, inhibiting tumour cell division, and the development of novel polymeric vesicles as drug delivery systems. This purpose-built ward has designated nursing staff with facilities for the collection and processing of clinical samples.
Drug resistance remains a major obstacle to the effective treatment of patients with cancer.
The Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance group has shown that reduced transcription of the hMLH1 gene due to promoter hypermethylation leads to loss of the normal mismatch repair mechanism and resistance to major groups of cytotoxic drugs. A new clinical trial, starting early in 2001, will test whether DAC can be given at biologically effective doses in combination with chemotherapy and whether DNA demethylation occurs in surrogate tissues. We are also investigating the potential of E2F1 antagonists as anti cancer agents since E2F-1 plays a critical role in regulation of cell division and is frequently deregulated in human tumours. Effective delivery of anticancer agents remains a major challenge, especially in the field of gene therapy. Biocompatible cationic polymers are chemically modified to optimise their physiochemical and biological properties for carrying suicide gene therapies to solid tumours.