{"id":26158,"date":"2020-07-07T14:01:46","date_gmt":"2020-07-07T14:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org\/?p=17739"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:16:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:16:45","slug":"covid-19-the-really-hard-part-is-we-know-what-needs-to-be-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/covid-19-the-really-hard-part-is-we-know-what-needs-to-be-done\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: \u201cThe really hard part is we know what needs to be done\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

Bhavik Patel’s lab has been closed since March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

From<\/span><\/em> labs clos<\/span><\/em>ing<\/span><\/em> to funding cuts<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/em> the impact<\/span><\/em> of COVID-19<\/span><\/em> on research has been<\/span><\/em> severe<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/em> But while COVID-19 has slowed us down, we will never stop. <\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

We caught up with<\/span><\/em> Professor David<\/span><\/em> Sebag<\/span><\/em>-Montefiore and Professor Bhavik Patel<\/span><\/em> about<\/span><\/em> ho<\/span><\/em>w COVID-19 has impacted their work, and what the<\/span><\/em> next few months<\/span><\/em> looks like for them.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Professor<\/span><\/span> Bhavik<\/span><\/span> Patel<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/span> \u201cWe<\/span><\/span> were<\/span><\/span> so close we could touch it\u201d<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor Bhavik Patel\u2019s lab has been<\/span> empty<\/span> since the end of March. \u201cThe lab shut on the 20<\/span>th<\/span> March, and we haven\u2019t returned since. It was a real kick in the stomach because we were in a period with our research where it was the most exciting it\u2019s ever been.\u201d <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

A chemist by training, Patel says he<\/span> started working on<\/span> cancer a couple of years ago because it seemed like the technologies his lab were developing could have a role in understanding the disease. And it\u2019s been a<\/span>n explosive start.<\/span> He\u2019s<\/span> part of<\/span> two grants<\/span> from<\/span> Cancer Research UK<\/span>,<\/span> both of which are<\/span> generating exciting results. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first one is to develop a novel sensing tool that will be used for the early detection of leukaemia in liquid biopsies, although we hope that the platform is more universal and would be useful for many cancers.\u201d <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The other project<\/span> aims to help tailor treatment to an individual\u2019s tumour. It<\/span> involves growing tumour samples from patients on a platform that can predict the growth of that tumour in the presence of different treatments, with the aim of providing a realistic, accurate readout of which treatment is most likely to work for someone. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Patel says they started looking at breast cancer samples but, like their early detection work, they hope the technology could be used across multiple cancer types<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Both projects were coming towards an end when the labs shut down because of COVID-19.<\/span> \u201cIt was so frustrating, because both projects had a single experiment that we needed to do to tip it over the edge.\u201d Patel says that while there was some data analysis for the team to be getting on with during lockdown, they\u2019re a bit stuck with the lab being shut. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe really hard part is that we know what needs to be done and we\u2019re so close we could touch it, but we can\u2019t.<\/span> So<\/span> we\u2019ve had to furlough post-doctoral staff, because there\u2019s nothing they can do for us now and it would be a waste of funds to have them working.\u201d <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

As labs start to reopen, Patel is keen to get started again, but there\u2019s a question mark over how many members of the lab will still be working, as there are gaps in their funding due to COVID-19. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important element will be the personnel. It feels<\/span> like<\/span> if we can retain everyone, then<\/span> yes<\/span> we could get up and running again quite quickly, but if we lose our staff then we\u2019re probably six months to a year behind where we wanted to be. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s painful, because you know you\u2019re doing something that can make an impact. And I\u2019ve met the people that it impacts and the people that support you at events we<\/span> run<\/span> and I\u2019ve felt that connectivity to why we\u2019re doing what we\u2019re doing. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd right<\/span> now<\/span> you just feel, we could be doing more for you, and we can\u2019t right now, which is the really hard part.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Professor David<\/span> Sebag<\/span>-Montefiore: \u201c<\/span><\/span>The next few months should be an opportunity for us to focus on recovery of cancer research activity\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor David Sebag-Montefiore is a cancer doctor and researcher at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Sebag<\/span>-Montefiore\u2019s work and expertise stretches from directing the C<\/span>ancer<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

David Sebag-Montefiore has been working on some COVID-19 related research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

R<\/span>esearch<\/span> UK Leeds Radiotherapy Research Centre of Excellence, part of our radiation research network,<\/span> RadNet<\/span>, to working as a clinical director of the C<\/span>ancer<\/span> R<\/span>esearc<\/span>h<\/span> UK Leeds Clinical Trial Unit, to name just a few.  <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

For Sebag-Montefiore, the main impact of COVID-19 has been managing the changes to workforce \u201cand reacting to the rapidly changing landscape,\u201d particularly as a lot of the research staff returned to clinical roles to support the NHS during the peak of the outbreak. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe other angle has been focusing on more COVID-19 related implications,\u201d explains Sebag-Montefiore, who led an urgent piece of work to produce international clinical guidelines<\/a> for treating bowel cancer during COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sebag-Montefiore is also the chair of<\/span> CTRad<\/span>, the national NCRI radiotherapy research group, who are empowering radiotherapy units to collect data on how their work has changed during the pandemic.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn COVID RT, we<\/span>\u2019<\/span>re collecting valuable information that will help us understand the changes that were made for patients who received radiotherapy,\u201d he explains. \u201c<\/span>I<\/span>t is really important that we understand the outcomes of our patient\u2019s radiotherapy treatment based on the different approaches that were used.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Sebag-Montefiore is delighted with the suppo<\/span>rt so far<\/span>,<\/span> with 52 out of 62 radiotherapy centres in the UK taking part.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>This will provide really valuable information<\/span> \u2013<\/span> how we coped, how we reacted, how we changed. It will also help us decide how we approach future waves or new pandemics.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

On top of the new projects,<\/span> s<\/span>ome of his<\/span> regular<\/span> work with<\/span> RadNet<\/span> has been able to continue remotely,<\/span> and<\/span> some radiotherapy clinical trial activity has also continued throughout these challenging times.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>For example<\/span>,<\/span> we were able to continue recruit patients to the PLATO trial<\/a>, led by Leeds Clinical Trial Unit<\/span>,<\/span> that<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s personalising radiotherapy dose for anal cancer patients.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s by no means business as usual. \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that we\u2019ve had effectively a 90% freeze on our ability to conduct the research we would normally do.<\/span> So<\/span> I don\u2019t want to gloss over the fact the impact has been dramatic and very substantial and created major challenges to adapt to new and remote ways of working. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>In lockdown you realise the value of all those informal corridor and caf\u00e9 conversation and personal connections that we previously almost take for granted \u2013 I have really missed them!<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

He goes on to explain how a large part of the reason that trials were paused was because a lot of resources were switched over to COVID-19 trials. \u201cThat was due to staff being deployed for COVID-19 trial activity and recruitment. And during the peak, that was a very appropriate approach.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>  <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

But while the switch to COVID-19 was necessary during the peak of the pandemic, Sebag-Montefiore stresses the need to support the recovery of cancer clinical trials. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that a next \u201cbig wave\u201d is going to be a significant surge in cancer diagnosis. I feel very strongly that we need to fight hard to recover the cancer clinical trial portfolio.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Clinical trials are at the centre of clinical research and the way we improve patient outcomes and bring new treatments from the lab to the clinic.  It is critically important that cancer patients have the opportunity to be part of these trials.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Lilly <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Read more:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

More on this topic<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bhavik Patel’s lab has been closed since March. From labs closing to funding cuts, the impact of COVID-19 on research has been severe. But while COVID-19 has slowed us down, we will never stop.   We caught up with Professor David Sebag-Montefiore and Professor Bhavik Patel about how COVID-19 has impacted their work, and what the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26158"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45625,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26158\/revisions\/45625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}