UROLOGY


Urological research: a profile of the NW2


The North Wales and North West Urological Research Centre (NW2


URC) was established by Stephen Fôn Hughes


and Iqbal Shergill in January 2014, the aim being to discover biomarker profiles appropriate to the study of benign and malignant urological conditions.


The research undertaken by the North Wales and North West Urological Research Centre (NW2


URC) is to investigate the association


between blood/urine markers and treatment for cancer and benign conditions of the kidneys, bladder and prostate (urology patients). Staff members affiliated with the NW2


URC comprise biomedical scientists,


academics, research nurses and clinicians. Currently, three biomedical research


scientists are actively undertaking clinical studies. Alyson Moyes is investigating kidney stones, while Rebecca Lamb and Peter Ella- Tongwiis are researching into bladder cancer. As part of their professional development, all the scientists are studying for a PhD, affiliated with the University of Chester. Early indications suggest that studies undertaken by NW2


URC may lead to


important interventions relating both to treatment and diagnosis in these patients.


Establishing biomarker profiles Currently, only simple, non-specific blood tests are available to predict clinical outcomes and post-operative complications. No biomarker profiles are available to forecast, with confidence, post-operative complications or to predict cancer recurrence and progression. Therefore, NW2


URC aims to establish such profiles. Specifically, patients with cancer and


benign conditions of the kidney, bladder and prostate will benefit as a result of the


URC


Health Board (BCUHB), for the research undertaken by NW2


URC, since January


2016 a new research laboratory has been established, based on the hospital site. The new laboratory houses state-of-the-art scientific equipment such as the BD Accuri C6 flow cytometer, Olympus fluorescence microscope, Konelab 20 chemistry analyser and Bio-Rad Chemicdoc MP imaging system. The NW2


URC collaborates with the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Chester, the School of Medical Sciences at Bangor University, Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW), British Urology Researchers in Surgical Training (BURST), Ipsen and Astellas Pharma, together with local and national hospitals across the country. Dr Stephen Fôn Hughes said:


“We are excited and driven by the innovative research currently undertaken by NW2


URC, as it


Staff of the North Wales and North West Urological Research Centre (NW2


URC). Pictured (back row, left to right) are Mr Iqbal Shergill


and Dr Stephen Fôn Hughes; and (seated, left to right) Alyson Moyes, Peter Ella-Tongwiis and Rebecca May Lamb.


increased ability to detect recurrence and progression, allowing the introduction of stricter surveillance follow-up programmes. The NW2


URC research study promises to


help patients (regionally and nationally) who have been diagnosed with various urological disorders, and ultimately will allow current NHS post-operative care protocols to be revised and improved, thus benefitting patient health and wellbeing.


Enthusiasm and collaboration Given the enthusiasm at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, part of Betsi Cadwaladr University


NW2URC wishes to acknowledge the


support provided by Dr Peter Higson OBE (BCUHB Chairman), Mr Graham Alexander (Wrexham Maelor Hospital Director), Dr Nefyn Williams and Dr Rossela Roberts (BCUHB Research & Development), and also the University of Chester for its formal support of the clinical investigations.


Dr Stephen Fôn Hughes CSci FIBMS (stephen.hughes@chester.ac.uk) is Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader, BSc Biomedical Science, University of Chester, and a Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) Honorary Research Fellow; Mr Iqbal Shergill is Consultant Urological Surgeon, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, North Wales).


The NW2 418 URC Laboratory is based at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, North Wales. AUGUST 2016 THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST


promises to enhance our current knowledge and understanding of benign and malignant disorders of the kidneys, bladder and prostate. Ultimately, findings from our studies hopefully will


help to identify biomarkers to predict clinical outcome, including cancer recurrence and progression.”


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