Our research into stem cells
A stem cell is a kind of 'starter cell' that has the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. When a stem cell multiplies, the resulting cells either remain as stem cells or - under the right conditions - can develop more specialised functions, for example changing into muscle, blood or nerve cells.
Scientists now believe that stem cells may play a direct role in the development of cancer, as some tumours are thought to develop from faulty stem cells. This has led to the idea of 'cancer stem cells', which have now been identified in a range of cancer types, including bowel, breast and prostate cancer.
The challenge for scientists is to understand where cancer stem cells come from, and to find ways to target them with effective treatments. To do this, they need to study the molecular makeup and behaviour of stem cells in great detail.
Our researchers’ work will tell us more about stem cells, from how they multiply and change into other types of cell, to what causes them to grow out of control and cause cancer.
Below are some of the highlights of our stem cell work.
On this page
Bowel cancer
Prof Owen Sansom
Wnt Signalling and Colorectal Cancer Group
Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow
Understanding the molecular mistakes in bowel cancer
Professor Owen Sansom is Deputy Director at our Beatson Institute for Cancer Research. He and his team are investigating the molecular changes that happen in bowel cells that ultimately lead to bowel cancer. Finding out more about how it develops will help scientists to find new ways to prevent and treat the disease.
Dr Doug Winton
Stem Cell Biology of the Intestine Group
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Studying stem cells in bowel cancer
Dr Doug Winton runs a research group at our Cambridge Research Institute. He and his team are investigating how stem cells can fuel the growth of bowel cancer.
Brain tumours
Dr Steven Pollard
UCL Cancer Institute
University College London, London
Studying stem cells in brain tumours
Dr Steven Pollard is at the forefront of research into brain tumours. His work focuses on the exciting new area of cancer stem cells. These specialised cells only make up a small proportion of the whole tumour but are believed to act as the driving force behind many cancers. Dr Pollard is investigating how cancer stem cells in the brain contribute to the development of brain tumours. He plans to use this information to find effective new ways to treat this disease.
Dr Verdon Taylor
Department of Biomedical Science
University of Sheffield, Sheffield
Understanding cells at the root of brain tumours
Dr Verdon Taylor is based at the University of Sheffield. He is studying special cells called stem cells, which researchers think may be the root cause of some cancers. Dr Taylor is focusing on a type of brain tumour called glioma, and his work could lead to innovative new ways to tackle this disease.
Breast cancer
Dr John Stingl
Mammary Stem Cell Laboratory
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Studying stem cells in breast cancer
Dr John Stingl runs the Mammary Stem Cell Laboratory at our Cambridge Research Institute. His team is studying stem cells that fuel the growth of breast cancer. Understanding these elusive cells will lead to more effective treatments for this disease in the future.
Leukaemia
Dr Dominique Bonnet
Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory
Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London
Stem cells and leukaemia
Dr Dominique Bonnet and her team at our London Research Institute are looking for ways to improve treatments for leukaemia. They are exploring the role of special cells in the blood, known as haematopoietic stem cells.These fascinating cells can transform into many different types of mature blood cell, including red blood cells that carry oxygen and white blood cells that fight infection.
Dr Cristina Lo Celso
Department of Life Sciences
Imperial College, London
Fighting for space – studying stem cells in leukaemia
Dr Cristina Lo Celso works in the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Imperial College London. She is studying the rogue cells that lie at the heart of leukaemia, with the aim of developing more effective, kinder treatments in the future.
Prof Tessa Holyoake
Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre
Gartnavel Hospital, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
Targeting leukaemia at its roots
Professor Tessa Holyoake is Director of the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre at Glasgow’s Gartnavel Hospital. Her pioneering lab work focuses on how cancer stem cells can trigger the return of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a cancer affecting the blood. Her research could lead to new treatments that specifically target and kill stem cells, improving long-term survival and quality of life for people with CML.
Professor Claus Nerlov
Institute for Stem Cell Research
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Stem cells and faulty genes at the heart of cancer
Professor Claus Nerlov is an expert in stem cells – the ‘immortal’ cells that produce all the different tissues of the body. There is an increasing amount of evidence to show that rogue stem cells may lie at the heart of many different types of cancer, including leukaemia. Professor Nerlov and his team are searching for the faulty genes that drive the growth of leukaemia stem cells, and developing drugs to target them.
Skin cancer
Prof Fiona Watt
Centre for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research
King's College London, London
Getting under the skin
Professor Fiona Watt is director of the Centre for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research at King's College, where she is studying normal skin cells in order to understand what goes wrong in skin cancer. In particular, she is carrying out pioneering research into skin stem cells. These long-lived cells can multiply to produce many different types of skin cell and are believed to play a central role in the development of skin cancer.
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