Prof Nicol Keith

Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Cancer Sciences
University of Glasgow
Glasgow

Developing new anti-cancer therapies

Nicol Keith is Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Glasgow. He and his team are investigating how cancer cells become immortal and are using this information to develop new anticancer treatments. In particular, Professor Keith is investigating ways to target telomerase, an "immortality gene" that is switched on in eight out of ten cancers.

Chromosome 'caps'

Within our cells, our DNA is found in long strings called chromosomes. In order to protect the fragile DNA ends, each chromosome is capped with structures called telomeres, similar to the plastic caps at the end of shoelaces.

Telomeres protect our cells from damage, but they get shorter every time a cell divides. This acts as a 'clock' within the body, stopping cells from multiplying out of control.

Immortal cells

Cancer cells can switch on a gene called telomerase, which makes a protein that can rebuild telomeres. This allows the cells to keep on living, as they can reset the 'clock' and multiply out of control.

Professor Keith and his team are developing drugs and other treatments to block the activity of telomerase in cancer cells. This could lead to more effective new ways to tackle this disease in the future.

Sleeping cells

As well as working on telomerase, Professor Keith is also studying cell senescence. This is the process by which cells go to 'sleep' and stop multiplying, protecting us from cancer. But cancer cells can 'wake up' from senescence and multiply out of control.

Professor Keith is working with a crack team of scientists, to investigate senescence, with the aim of using their knowledge to develop new ways to treat cancer.