Conjoint Gastroenterology

Laboratory Head      

Professor Barbara Leggett

Summary

The Conjoint Gastroenterology Laboratory identifies genetic changes which define distinct subtypes of colon cancers and premalignant polyps with the aim of predicting the clinical behaviour of these tumours. In this laboratory, scientists collaborate with gastroenterologists, pathologists, surgeons and oncologists on research that is only possible due to the large tissue bank comprised of samples kindly donated by patients.

Conditions researched

• Colorectal cancer

Current research

• The role of the serrated polyp in colorectal cancer
• Existence of the serrated pathway of cancer development by showing it is strongly associated with activating mutations of the oncogene BRAF
• Discovering further genetic changes underlying different subtypes of colorectal cancer

Staff

Laboratory Head: Dr Barbara Leggett

Senior Scientist: Dr Vicki Whitehall

Senior Technician: Ron Buttenshaw

Research Assistants: Sonia Greco

PhD Students: Catherine Bond, Winnie Fernando

Funding

We acknowledge the support of the following funding agencies:

• National Health and Medical Research Council

Collaborators

Professor Stephen Meltzer, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Dr Shuiji Ogino, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston,