Liverpool celebrates blood cancer research
This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, research-active staff from the University of Liverpool and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust came together for the first Liverpool Blood Cancer Research Day and celebrated 50 years of haematology research in the city.
Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and the third highest cause of cancer-related deaths after lung and colorectal cancer. Crucially, blood cancer is one of the top contributors among all cancers to the 10-year gap in life expectancy associated with deprivation. These statistics are particularly relevant to the North West due to the region’s high levels of deprivation.
The Liverpool Blood Cancer Research Day featured a packed schedule of talks and discussions outlining Liverpool’s leadership and delivery of laboratory, clinical, health data and cross-disciplinary research initiatives across all types of blood cancer including leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma.
Hosted by Professors Nagesh Kalakonda and Andrew Pettitt, it was the first conference of its kind in Liverpool and celebrated 50 years of haematology research in the city. It also looked to the future with the aim of identifying new synergies and opportunities for collaboration.
Clatterbridge’s Medical Director, Dr Sheena Khanduri, introduced the day at The Spine, in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, and spoke about how blood cancer research was of particular importance in Liverpool, which has a high incidence of the disease in the city region and unmet need within the population. Dr Khanduri also detailed the long and distinguished record of blood cancer research in the city, beginning with the appointment in 1974 of the first University of Liverpool Professor of Haematology.
Liverpool has built up an impressive range of assets that drive and enable blood cancer research. These include the NHS clinical service which occupies two floors of the new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, and a fully integrated regional diagnostic service located in Liverpool Clinical Laboratories. For its part, the University of Liverpool provides laboratory infrastructure to support the group’s cutting-edge technology platforms and multiple sample collections linked to national clinical trials and observational studies. The University also hosts an anonymised dataset of all secondary care NHS data from >300,000 blood cancer patients diagnosed in England since 2014. Other assets include the group’s extensive network of academic and industry collaborators and, most importantly, a strong pipeline of early career researchers who are essential for succession, sustainability and scientific continuity.
Professor Andrew Pettitt commented: “Many people still think of blood cancer as a niche area. However, as the 2024 UK Blood Cancer Action Plan outlines, the reality is very different.
“Showcasing Liverpool’s contribution to blood cancer research has been long overdue, and 2024 is a special year as it marks the fiftieth anniversary of academic haematology in Liverpool with its rich heritage and famous names such as David Weatherall, Alastair Bellingham, John Cawley, Richard Clark and Cheng-Hock Toh.
“The event amply illustrated the breadth and depth of our current portfolio of blood cancer research. This includes leadership and delivery of national/international clinical trials, a national health data research programme, cutting-edge laboratory science, and cross-disciplinary workstreams involving cardiology, pharmacology, infectious diseases, psychology, diagnostic imaging and computer sciences.
“We hope that the event will help to ensure that blood cancer has a prominent place in Liverpool’s latest cancer research strategy, not only for its own sake but also as a focal point for impactful cross-disciplinary and multi-organisational collaborations with all the opportunities and benefits that such collaborations bring.”
The Liverpool Blood Cancer Research Day was sponsored by AstraZeneca, Gilead and Kite.
