NEWS
Major prostate cancer research in the NHS
The NHS is to invite half a million men who have had or are living with prostate cancer to join a major research programme to improve early detection and treatment of the condition. Prostate Progress, which is led by the charity Prostate Cancer Research and supported by the NHS’s DigiTrials recruitment service, is designed to speed up the development of beter tests, treatments and care. The initiative aims to recruit
as many participants as possible to improve how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated as well as understanding the side effects of treatment and the impact on men’s quality of life, helping to shape how future clinical trials and research are carried out. The programme is particularly
keen to hear from Black men, who are at approximately twice the risk of developing prostate cancer, with around one in four Black men in the UK expected to be diagnosed during their lifetime. Beter representation will help researchers understand and address differences in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. Men who join Prostate Progress will
be asked to complete questionnaires about their experiences of living with the disease every few months as well as agreeing for their NHS records to be securely linked and used for approved research purposes. Verified researchers will then be able
compare men’s experiences of living with prostate cancer against their NHS records, including their symptoms and quality of life. The aim is to help researchers gain unique insights into prostate cancer by combining the two sets of data to understand more about the disease, develop new treatments and tests to improve diagnosis, monitor the safety of treatments, and plan new NHS services.
Lab Innovations 2026 centres on five pillars
Lab Innovations, the UK’s largest gathering for laboratory professionals, will bring together thousands of scientists, laboratory managers, R&D professionals and quality specialists from across the scientific community once again as it returns to the NEC, Birmingham on 4-5 November, 2026. As the sector’s leading meeting place
for learning, sourcing and collaboration, the event will showcase practical solutions that can be implemented immediately to help laboratories work smarter, more sustainably and more efficiently. Reflecting the priorities transforming
laboratories across every sector, Lab Innovations 2026 is built around five cross-industry pillars: sustainability; AI and automation; applied innovation; quality and compliance; and skills and development. Across a comprehensive exhibition,
expert-led conference programme and live demonstrations, visitors will discover cuting-edge products, practical insights and real-world case studies, while exhibitors will showcase innovations designed to solve today’s laboratory challenges and accelerate scientific progress.
As always, the event is expected to
draw leading voices from across pharma, biotech, academia and industry, and to build on last year’s record breaking- atendance, when more than 4,700 visitors came together across two days at the NEC. A highlight of this year’s programme is the expansion of Applied Innovation, which broadens the show’s life sciences focus to encompass food and drink, nutraceuticals, chemicals and industrial manufacturing. The show will also cover the full range of challenges facing the modern laboratory, from the growing pressure on supply chains and regulatory standards to the accelerating adoption of AI, robotics and digital tools through its extensive conference programme. Register to atend at
www.lab-
innovations.com.
MRC funds world-class research into fatal genetic diseases
The Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested £50 million into the study of mitochondrial diseases to improve treatments. The new MRC Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics brings together leading experts from across disciplines to define how mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cause disease. They will then translate that knowledge into therapies. No cure currently exists for
mitochondrial diseases, a group of genetic disorders that affect around one in 5,000 people, leaving patients and their families facing significant unmet medical needs. Beyond inherited conditions, mtDNA mutations are increasingly linked to: neurodegeneration; metabolic disease; cardiovascular failure; and age-related deterioration. In affected individuals,
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mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to severe disability, progressive decline and premature death. Project lead Professor Michal Minczuk of the University of Cambridge said: “The MRC CoRE will provide pioneering approaches to understanding and treating diseases caused by mutations in the mitochondrial genome. We will be building a long-term UK research platform with the scale, expertise and infrastructure needed to position the UK as a global leader. Our goal is to create the scientific foundations that will enable entirely new therapeutic strategies.” The MRC CoRE – to be led by the
University of Cambridge – will harness emerging technologies to engineer the mitochondrial genome delivering advanced models of prevalent pathogenic mtDNA mutations.
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