Children'S Brain Tumour Research Team

Now the group has moved to remote working we are hoping to use Facebook and Twitter to keep you all up to date with our projects and some of the amazing charities and organisations that fund our work. If you haven't popped over to our Twitter page yet there is a link in our profile.
This week we were excited to start our 2nd research project funded by The Little Princess Trust, in collaboration with the CCLG. With project planning and collaborator meetings underway (virtuall...y of course!) we are heading into the weekend feeling #positive ☺️
Have a great weekend everyone and remember #staysafe #StayAtHome & #ProtectTheNHS
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https://twitter.com/bhambtrg/status/12460 13287961157633?s=20 And we are fully remote! great to see everyone today 😀

https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/childrencoming tohospital/
You may remember Jake from The Brain Tumour Charity youtube videos, who helps young children with brain tumours understand the tests and treatments.
Here's a new animation from Edgehill University for children and young people about what they might feel, see and expect from a hospital visit.

Head of CBTRT, Prof. Andrew Peet, gave his inaugural lecture (or first ‘official’ lecture as Professor) last week. To all those gathered, his drive to improve patient care and treatment in any way he can shone through. As did his gratitude to everyone who helped him along the way – fundraisers, colleagues, patient families, his family – the list goes on. (All of whom were in the audience, of course.) His ‘thanks’ slide is appropriate since he truly sees all he’s accomplished as an achievement of many...

Come on #England lets bring it home for Ben!
Amazing work from Birmingham Childrens Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity
#bensworldcup #cancer #itscominghome #nhs70

We were delighted to welcome to our research group and Birmingham Children’s Hospital three top doctors from Nanjing Children’s Hospital in China last week. The visit is part of a collaboration led by Professor Yu Sun and Professor Andrew Peet.

CBTRT were out in force at the recent University of Birmingham Festival of Postgraduate Research!
Presenting posters in conferences is just one of many ways to 'disseminate' our findings (or spread what we're finding out through our research) to others. Conferences also give our team the opportunity to learn other researchers' findings in return.

It was one of our team member's, Natalie's, last day with us on Thursday. Though she will still be around next week for her leaving meal (and will occasionally visit to work on journal articles and various bits and bobs, no doubt.)
She was also the winner in an Institute of Cancer and Genomics Easter Egg Competition, which was a lovely way to end her time with us!

Part of research, and being researchers, is sharing the findings with other researchers, or 'disseminating'. At the recent Academy of Medical Sciences Research Festival, not one, not two, but three(!) of CBTRT attended, and had the chance to keep up-to-date with the latest findings in a number of scientific fields.
Dadi and Natalie presented and discussed their posters to those interested, while Sarah won a prize for her highly polished talk.

Another two talks from our group today. Chris is looking to discover new ways to help more accurately identify which type a tumour is, using their chemical (or metabolite) profile.
Heather talked about her project 'Treat Wolfram' which is looking at Wolfram Syndrome / Didmoad, which is incredibly rare (affecting approx. 1 in 770,000 people worldwide).

After a meal at the Botanist, and a vast array of presents, one of our team, Ben, is leaving. Today is his last day, and it just won't be the same without him! We're sad to see him go, but wish him all the best in his new job.

Another weekly talk by CBTRT.
Sarah talks about metabolites as prognostic markers of survival, or in other words, looking at specific chemicals in the brain to see if we can predict the likelihood of survival.
Stephen talks about the different ways he is aiming to improve the quality control of images from MRI scans.

Two new talks for the group this week. Karen presenting on her research - discussing what diffusion-weighted imaging (a particular type of imaging) can tell us about paediatric solid body tumours, and perhaps in the future, help refine diagnoses.
The newest member to the group, Dadi, also presents on the aims of his research and where he is so far...

Another year of talks kicked off by our group lead, Prof. Andrew Peet. With over 15 years of clinical experience as a neuro-oncology consultant, he sure knows his stuff!
Though this educational session for the group was more practically-based. Focusing on the facilities, people and infrastructures of the university, BCH and beyond, to inform and perhaps generate ideas for future collaborations and research? (Using PowerPoint AND whiteboard, he's really pulling out all the stops!)

With the snowfall and Christmas rapidly approaching, CBTRT takes a break from Yuletide fun to focus on... the group Secret Santa!
Presents were distributed and gratefully received, worn, read, hugged, and eaten. Andrew, of course, receiving an obligatory silly hat!
Now we can move on to the most important part of Secret Santa - working out who bought what...

There are many challenges to looking after children with brain tumours for both the families and staff involved. This video gives an insight into the emotional impact of working in such an environment.
This video was produced and directed by Becky Peet, as part of her film practice degree at south bank university, London.