We asked Hayley Butler from the School of Applied Sciences whose work is featured in our 2021 edition of FIELDS to talk to us about her research:

My article proposed a novel treatment to target brain tumour spread and to prevent tumour reoccurrence after surgical resection. This is a highly devastating disease which can lead to mood disorders, seizures and alter personalities. Sadly, current treatments are unsuccessful at prolonging patient’s lives for longer than 1.5 years. In this study, the anti-migratory drugs, CCG-1423 and Rhosin hydrochloride, were tested in 2D scratch assays and 3D spheroid assays to observe their effects on the motility of cancerous cells. Confocal imaging explored the drug’s effects on the expression and distribution of actin and focal adhesions, which has not previously been researched. The drugs used in combination successfully prevented the migration of cancerous cells. This is a major scientific breakthrough for cancer research. The drugs have the potential to be used at the surgical site of a tumour, to ultimately prevent the formation of secondary tumours, and increase patient life expectancy.

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