Glioma Cellular Genetics Resource

A collection of cellular models and associated data to underpin the next era of studies into the biology and treatment of glioma.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive form of adult brain cancer and is a strategic priority for Edinburgh Cancer Research. Recurrent genetic and epigenetic perturbations in glioma have now been fully catalogued, but research has been hampered by a lack of open-access  and well annotated patient-derived preclinical models. These will be vital to identify critical therapeutic targets and for use in drug discovery and development.

Cancer Research UK have invested £3.4 M in the CRUK Edinburgh Centre (currently part of the CRUK Scotland Centre) in partnership with CRUK UCL Centre to enable the generation of these missing research tools and data. Patient-derived glioblastoma cell lines, as well as normal control neural stem cell lines, can be routinely derived in the laboratory and are readily manipulated using CRISPR-based genome editing. Edinburgh has world class expertise in this area.

Our scientists, led by Prof Steven Pollard in Edinburgh, are generating a comprehensive collection of glioblastoma cell lines, control human neural stem cell lines and engineered cell lines with sophisticated genetic and epigenetic disruptions, as well as knock in reporters for live cell/tumour imaging. These cell lines and their associated deep molecular annotation (epigenome, transciptome and genome) are available to the global research community through an integrated, open-access webportal.

The GCGR provides the much needed tools to accelerate innovative new science, stimulate UK and international collaborations and support discovery of new therapeutics for glioblastoma.