The arrival of the L. Shepherd & Associates Series Mark I model 30 Irradiator steps up research on the Campus Clinic-UB

06/10/2015. The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute is working at all levels to reach its goal of zero patients dying of leukaemia.

At the basic research level, scientists are studying the mechanisms inside cells to find out how and why they develop normally and what makes them turn cancerous.

Translational research tests out ways to apply this new knowledge with the objective of designing new diagnostic tools and treatments. Finally these are studied in patients during the clinical research stage.

The arrival of the new irradiator at our Campus Clinic-UB represents a qualitative leap forward for research groups all along the chain from basic to clinical research and access to a technology we didn’t have before.

Some treatments for leukaemia require the patient to undergo an aggressive radiation treatment to eradicate cancerous cells followed by a transplant of new bone marrow cells. To further study this process and to design improved or innovative treatments researchers must be able to run experiments on cells and animal models using radiation techniques.

Until now the only machine enabling them to do this was in another research centre, meaning long journeys with samples and considerable difficulties.

With the arrival of the Series 1 Model 30, our researchers will be able to improve the quality and quantity of work they do in this area, this represents a major step forward.

In line with the collaborative strategy of the institute the irradiator, which has been purchased with 50% funding the Josep Carreras Foundation and 50% from the Regional Development Fund of the European Commission (FEDER), has been ceded to the University of Barcelona (UB) where it will form part of the Shared Platforms Unit*.

Here it will be used by research groups from the institute, to study leukaemia and also scientists from the UB, the Clinic Hospital and other research institutes on the campus to carry out research into a variety of diseases. 

Lorena Ariza, Laboratory Manager in the Stem cells, mesenchymal cancer and development Group is currently training to use the new equipment.

Dr Pablo Menéndez, Research Director of the Campus Clinic-UB said, “The arrival of this machine marks several successes for our institute: we have secured more European research money for Barcelona, we have created a powerful new research platform on the campus that will benefit many researchers from the different institutions there and we will be able to carry out the cutting edge science that is essential to advance in our battle against leukaemia.”

*Unidad de plataformas comunes (CCiT)