Research projects underway
CHECT funded retinoblastoma research
These projects are currently being funded by CHECT. For past research please have a look at our previous retinoblastoma research page.
Prognostic stratification and early detection of relapsed retinoblastoma using aqueous
humor based cfDNA screening
Project leader Professor Yellapantula
Award £50,000
Duration one years, July 2024
Summary
Cancers shed DNA fragments, called cell-free DNA (cfDNA), into bodily fluids which facilitates detection of genomic alterations driving tumor growth. Using aqueous humor (AH), a watery fluid that fills the eye, collected during treatment, we will evaluate:
1) if serial monitoring of cfDNA can inform intraocular relapse of Rb earlier than clinical findings based screening methods currently used.
2) if cfDNA prevalance at the end of treatment can inform prognosis of Rb.
3) the genomic and clinical features that differentiate low and high-risk of relapse.
Status: Begins July 2024
A retinal organoid platform for retinoblastoma drug development
Project leader Professor Seigel
Award £50,000
Duration two years, July 2023
Summary
One challenge in developing new treatments for retinoblastoma is to preserve vision by ensuring that Rb tumour cells are killed without damaging surrounding normal retina. For this project, we have a new approach for testing promising retinoblastoma drugs. We can coax adult human stem cells to represent normal retinal tissue in a plastic dish (a “retina-in-a-dish”). If we add human Rb tumour cells to this same dish, we can disrupt the retina, like an Rb tumour might do in the human eye. This mixture of RB tumour cells with the retina-in-a-dish lets us use human cells to see whether our new drug treatments will kill Rb cells specifically without harming nearby retinal cells. This new method will be very useful for testing Rb treatments that we have developed with previous support from CHECT.
Status: Begins July 2023
Eloise Patterson Project
Project leader Dr Zerrin Onadim
Award Phase I £24,800; Phase II 24,978.39
Duration Phase I one year, Nov 2015; Phase II one year December 2020
Summary
Records held at the Royal London Hospital will be studied alongside those from the Childhood Cancer Research Group to investigate the way in which risk of tumours occurring in later life depends on different genetic mutations associated with heritable Rb, on the treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy) used in treating Rb, and to calculate statistical estimates of these risks.
It is hoped this will lead to clinicians and geneticists having better information available to them when assessing the risks of second tumours occurring. This could potentially lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of these second cancers.
Status: Phase II commencing December 2020