Prostate cancer researchers receive £350,000 funding

Scientists from two Scottish universities will share £350,000 in funding to research prostate cancer.

The money is part of a £2m package from the Movember Foundation.

It has been announced by the charity Prostate Cancer UK.

Dr Nicholas Leslie, of Heriot-Watt University, has received £300,000 for a three-year study on how the loss of a protein called PTEN leads to aggressive prostate cancers.

He said: "Almost half of aggressive prostate cancers develop following the loss of a protein called PTEN. We need to know why.

"Once we do, it could help us identify harmless from aggressive prostate cancers and speed up the development of drugs to successfully treat the latter."

New treatments

Meanwhile, Prof George Baillie from the University of Glasgow has received £50,000 for a one-year project to investigate the role of a protein called PDE4D7 in the development of prostate cancer.

Prof Baillie added: "We know that the amount of a protein called PDE4D7 significantly differs between hormone responsive and hormone unresponsive prostate cancers.

"This protein binds to a number of other proteins. We want to investigate these links and see if we can use this information to develop a new strategy to halt the growth of the cancer cells.

"This will identify potential targets for new treatments for advanced prostate cancer, and funding provided by Prostate Cancer UK and Movember will allow us to take one step closer to this goal."

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Through our ongoing partnership with the Movember Foundation we have been able to fund another bumper round of high quality research grants this year.

"These focus on the key issues facing prostate cancer - from identifying men at risk of developing aggressive forms to discovering new treatments for advanced disease."

The Movember Foundation is a men's health charity which raises funds and awareness of prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men's mental health.

It is responsible for Movember, when men grow moustaches in the month of November to highlight men's health issues and raise money for charity.