Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Our research aims to understand the characteristics of individual brain tumours, combining cutting edge brain imaging, molecular neuropathology and neurosurgical techniques to develop personalized approaches for first-line cancer surgery.

We are a multidisciplinary team of research and clinician scientists. Our research focuses on diffuse gliomas, which are the most common primary brain tumour in adults. Some 5000 people die from brain tumours each year, according to statistics from the Brain Tumour Charity.  Gliomas are incurable and, at the moment, there are no targeted disease-modifying therapies. Surgery therefore remains the first-line treatment. Our studies are directly aimed at improving neurosurgical decision making, by helping to select which patients are most likely to benefit from surgery, when is the right time to operate, what is the surgical target zone to maximise long-term survival, and where are the absolute surgical margins that must be respected to minimize the risk of disability. 

We take a closely integrated multidisciplinary approach, combining developments in modern molecular techniques, non-invasive neuroimaging and surgical approaches to understand brain tumour processes unique to individual patients. Our research aims are to:

  • Understand the molecular and metabolic signatures of tumours and how they grow
  • Identify the transition zone between low grade gliomas and surrounding normal brain
  • Understand how brain tumours interact with and affect surrounding functional networks
  • Determine the ideal and maximal resection zone through functional networks
  • Understand how surgical morbidity and hospital length of stay can be reduced using a minimally invasive endoscopic approach to resect brain tumours

Selected publications

Related research themes