THE breakthrough announced today by the North East England Stem Cell Institute and Durham University offers, first and foremost, a ray of hope for patients suffering from the most aggressive forms of bowel cancer.
By potentially enabling medical staff to pinpoint those most likely to benefit from chemotherapy, it could help to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate treatment available.
It is the kind of research capable of profoundly affecting for the better the lives of thousands of people living with this terrible disease.
Therefore, it is also proof of the tangible benefits now being generated as a result of the work of the institute and its partners in the region, be they in academia or frontline health services.
The North East is now building upon its long held reputation for first class medical expertise.
Newcastle’s designation as a Science City will help to nurture this, as a community of scientists develops which has the connectivity and competitive edge which will drive forward research.
From time to time this work will be controversial, as we have seen with the institute’s role in the development of human-hybrid embryos.
But it will also yield undoubted benefits that will be welcomed far beyond the confines of the region.
(c) 2008 The Journal – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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