Catch up on the latest news and updates from the Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London. From important announcements to behind-the-scenes highlights, there’s always something new to explore. Scroll down to read the latest posts and see what we've been up to.
A new clinical trial led by Professor Thomas Powles at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, has shown that a blood test to detect tumour DNA could help doctors decide which patients with bladder cancer are most likely to benefit from further treatment after surgery. The new approach improved survival in those identified as high-risk while safely sparing low-risk patients from unnecessary side effects.
Conferences 22 October 2025
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that could help doctors identify which skin cancers are most likely to spread. We spoke to Professor Jun (Alex) Wang, a group leader at BCI, and Dr Emilia Peleva, a Clinical Research Fellow and dermatologist in his team, about their new study, published in npj Precision Oncology.
General News 30 September 2025
An international team of scientists has revealed how rogue rings of DNA that float outside of our chromosomes – known as extrachromosomal DNA, or ecDNA – can drive the growth of a large proportion of glioblastomas, the most common and aggressive adult brain cancer. The discovery could open the door to much-needed new approaches to diagnose glioblastoma early, track its progress and treat it more effectively.
General News 8 September 2025
The new combination treatment offers hope to thousands of people living with advanced urothelial cancer. The clinical trials, led by Professor Tom Powles, showed that overall survival rates were almost twice as long with this new treatment compared to the current standard treatment.
General News 21 August 2025
The Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund Tissue Bank (PCRFTB) has become the first in England to receive ISO 20387:2018 accreditation, an international standard that recognises excellence in biobanking.
General News 19 August 2025
Researchers at Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London, will play a part in a revolutionary new partnership with King’s College London and the University of Leeds, aiming to accelerate and optimise the clinical translation of healthcare nanotechnologies.
General News 11 August 2025
This month, we welcomed a total of 43 aspiring young scientists from across London to the Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London, where they had the opportunity to meet researchers, try their hands in the lab and learn more about what it takes to become a scientist.
Engagement 29 July 2025
Molecules exhaled in the breath may provide clues to detect blood cancer, according to new research by scientists at Barts Cancer Institute. The findings could enable the development of a blood cancer breathalyser, providing a rapid, low-cost way to detect disease.
General News 23 July 2025
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism by which B cells – antibody-producing immune cells – use a cellular recycling process called autophagy to control changes to their DNA essential for antibody improvement. The findings could have future implications for the development of certain blood cancers and autoimmune diseases.
General News 2 July 2025
Scientists have uncovered how bowel cancer cells imitate our gut’s natural healing processes to adapt, spread and grow. The findings researchers at Barts Cancer Institute could lead to new treatment strategies aimed at preventing cancer spread.
General News 8 June 2025
A new strategy to help powerful cancer-targeting immune cells, known as CAR-T cells, infiltrate pancreatic tumours has been developed by researchers at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London.
General News 22 May 2025
Women of African or South Asian genetic ancestry tend to develop breast cancer and die at a younger age than women of European ancestry, according to new research by Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London. The study, which looked at clinical and genetic data from over 7,000 women with breast cancer, also found important genetic differences in these women’s cancers that could impact their diagnosis and treatment.
General News 20 May 2025
Adaptive chemotherapy can prolong survival in lab models of ovarian cancer, according to new results. The findings could pave the way for a more effective and gentler approach to treating ovarian cancer that uses existing drugs in a more intelligent way.
General News 30 April 2025
Welcome to our newest group leader, Dr Alastair Lamb.
General News 3 April 2025
The Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London, has been awarded the LEAF Bronze award for sustainability, achieving Bronze or Silver certification standards across each of our 15 laboratory sections.
General News 19 March 2025
Scientists have discovered a potential way to improve chemotherapy’s effect on ovarian cancer by manipulating specific immune cells around the tumour, potentially offering a way to help thousands of women with ovarian cancer benefit more from standard therapies and potentially delay relapses.
General News 7 March 2025
When Dr Alex Papachristodoulou joined our MSc programme at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, he discovered his passion for cancer research and set out on a career path that led him to launch his own independent lab.
General News 26 February 2025
Scientists have discovered a new way to predict which tumours will become aggressive before they metastasise and spread around the body. The findings could help doctors spot which tumours are likely to be aggressive and cause metastatic cancer. They also open new avenues for treating cancer before it spreads.
General News 14 February 2025