Research gets a £25,000 boost

Lancashire charity BK’s Heroes has donated £25,000 to the University of Central Lancashire to help the neuro-oncology team to examine why people with Alzheimer’s disease rarely suffer from brain tumours and if it’s related to a particular protein that protects them.

Senior pharmacology lecturer Chris Smith said the project was at a protein called beta-amyloid that builds up in the brain as Alzheimer’s disease progresses and, potentially, if this protein can somehow protect that person from developing a brain tumour.

He said: “ It’s an area that’s never really been examined. Despite more people suffering from brain tumours and Alzheimer’s disease as they get older, it’s very rare that both conditions overlap and that’s something we think is worth looking into.

“This money from BK’s Heroes will allow us to fund a year-long postgraduate research student to undertake a preliminary investigation, working closely with Royal Preston Hospital.””

The University has worked with Burnley-based charity BK’s Heroes since 2016.

It was set up by Ben King in 2015 during his battle with renal failure then a brain tumour.

Ben died in February 2016 but his family honoured his wish to continue fundraising .

UCLan has undertaken neuro-oncology research since 2005 and was one of the founding members of Brain Tumour North West,

Dr Lisa Shaw, also a senior lecturer in pharmacology Only a small percentage of government funding is given to brain tumour research .