02 January 2019, Tim Burton
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Each year, The Urology Foundation receives research scholarship applications from across the UK & Ireland. With the deadline for these applications approaching, (31 January) here’s a look at recent research scholarships that could have a dramatic impact on clinical practice.
The Prostagram Trial
David Eldred-Evans, a researcher at Imperial College London, is using funding from TUF to develop a new screening method for aggressive forms of prostate cancer. The aim of the trial is to find an imaging technique for prostate cancer that would work similarly to mammograms.
The trial will be the largest study of image-based screening tests for prostate cancer and follows calls for an alternative to the PSA test.
UroMark
UroMark is a product that has been developed by the Kelly:Feber Lab at UCL. UroMark is a new test that is designed to detect bladder cancer through a urine sample. Instead of being able to detect only two or three markers found in urine that are specific to bladder cancer, the UroMark test examines 150 markers.
The hope is that this product will negate the need for painful cystoscopies and is expected to save the NHS about £25 million a year. If it is approved for clinical practice, it could revolutionise our approach to diagnosing bladder cancer.
HALO Kits
Pramit Khetrapal, also working out of UCL, is using funding to develop HALO (Home And Locally Observed) Kits for patients who return home after an operation. With more than 15 in 100 patients undergoing major urological surgery being re-admitted to hospital after being discharged, and with nearly a quarter of all deaths following major surgery occurring during the first month after hospital discharge, it is hoped that Pramit’s HALO kits could make a profound difference.
The Kits, which contain devices like a smart phone, a Fitbit, blood pressure monitors, and an Apple Watch, will provide surgical teams with the ability to track a patient’s wellbeing remotely. Pramit believes this could limit the need for patients to visit their GP or return to hospital.
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The above projects are just a sample of those that have been recently funded by The Urology Foundation. We are confident that the next round of funding, which will be announced in the spring, will bring similar innovation to urological practice.
We can only give these awards as a result of the money donated by our supporters. If you would like to invest in the future of urology, you can donate today.
To find out more about applying for a TUF Research Scholarship, take a look here.
