Sussex Cancer Fund Announcement – Brain Tissue Bank Now Operational
The Sussex Cancer Fund is proud to have funded a specialist freezer, costing £9,327, to support the creation of a Brain Tissue Bank at University Hospitals Sussex. This new facility allows for the secure storage of tissue samples from patients undergoing surgery for brain tumours, enabling vital research into tumour biology and the development of better treatments and outcomes.
Importantly, the availability of this freezer means that patients with high-grade brain tumours – who often face some of the poorest outcomes – can now access a groundbreaking clinical trial run by the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, which was previously out of reach. With patient consent, the local biobank of frozen tissue will also support a wide range of Sussex-based research projects, including studies in palliative oncology that aim to extend life without compromising quality of life by identifying predictive markers for treatment tolerance.
This initiative forms part of our wider commitment to supporting University Hospitals Sussex in achieving Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status, recognising the outstanding work of our neurosurgical and neuro-oncology teams.
The image shows Dr Cressida Lorimer MA FRCR MD, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, and Jo Gray, RSCH Lab Manager, with the newly installed freezer.
