CLuB Wins BEHR Award from the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI)
On May 22nd 2024, Dr. Kathy Gately, CLuB Co-Investigator, was awarded funding from the “Building Engagements in Health Research” (BEHR). This very successful scheme provides funding to novel clinicians and is granted by the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI).
The title of Dr Gately’s project is “Development of a malignant pleural effusion biobank as a promising non-invasive liquid biopsy resource for circulating tumour cells (CTCs), ctDNA and 3D models.” The BEHR Fund successfully facilitates collaboration between scientists and clinicians to address critical healthcare challenges.
Background to the Study: Pleural effusion (PE) occurs when too much fluid collects between the layers of tissue in the pleural cavity. Cancer is a major cause of pleural effusions particularly metastatic disease and these are called malignant pleural effusions (MPEs). Most MPEs are caused by lung (including mesothelioma), breast or ovarian cancers and are diagnosed by analysing a fluid sample withdrawn from the effusion by thoracentesis and finding cancer cells. MPE samples are a source of a complex mixture of immune cells, non-cancerous cells, cancer cells and circulating nucleic acids exhibiting the heterogeneity of the tumour. MPEs are readily available and can be collected by a non-invasive procedure making them an ideal liquid biopsy. MPE samples can be used as cost-effective tumour cell source to generate patient-specific cancer models for future precision medicine applications.
Research plan: Patients undergoing malignant pleural procedures will be identified and consented to the study by Dr Laura Gleeson, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Pleural Lead in St James’s Hospital. Surplus pleural fluid, collected during a thoracocentesis procedure, will be stored in the TSJCI Thoracic Biobank. Samples will be processed to isolate CTCs and ctDNA. Harvested CTCs will be expanded in 2D and 3D culture as per SOPs previously established in Dr Gately’s group (Fig 1.0). 3D models will be used as a platform for biomarker discovery and for pre-clinical drug screening to inform patient treatment strategies.
