Cancer: Can our cells do more?

Centre of the Cell’s Big Question Series are brought to you by top scientists at Queen Mary, in partnership with Centre of the Cell and co-created with young people from our Youth Scheme. They give audiences from age 14 the chance to hear from leaders in science and healthcare about the cutting-edge biology and innovative front-line medicine going on right here in east London.

Dr. Jonathan Fisher speaks about cancer and potential treatments in his Big Question Lecture.

Cancer is a condition which can affect any one of us. It can happen for many different reasons, but it is always the result of our cells getting out of control and dividing too much. Every day more than 1000 people are diagnosed with some form of cancer, and while treatments are constantly improving, not everyone will be cured. Scientists like Dr Fisher and his team are looking into novel new treatments by engineering the cells in our own bodies to identify and destroy these out of control cells.

Dr Jonathan Fisher is a clinical academic; his main research focus is the development of novel immunotherapies for solid cancers.  He obtained his medical degree from the University of Southampton and his PhD from University College London.  Clinically, Dr Fisher works as a consultant Paediatric Oncologist at University College London Hospital, and his laboratory is based at the UCL-Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, where he holds a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship.  He has undertaken research both at UCL and the Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute (New York).  Of particular interest is the way that rarer types of immune cells such as gamma-delta T cells can be harnessed to attack cancer.  Jonathan designs new pieces of cellular machinery to augment gamma delta T cell function with a view to developing therapies which are not only effective but also cheaper to manufacture, making them potentially accessible to more patients.