Electronic Precinct - January 1998

Front-line research

A new suite of molecular biology laboratories in which front-line research will be undertaken to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease was opened in November by Sir Rodney Sweetman, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Sir Rodney said that it was the policy of the Royal College to support the enhancement of research facilities in departments of surgery rather than in the Royal College itself, and described those in the Liverpool Department of Surgery as 'first-class'.

In reply, Professor John Neoptolemos thanked the Royal College for the three research fellowships which were allowing Paula Ghaneh and James Evans to work on pancreatic cancer, one of the most difficult cancers to treat, and Michael Raraty to work on acute pancreatitis, a common disease which has a high morbidity and mortality.

Professor Neoptolemos also thanked the University and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust for their help in creating the new facilities. The laboratories were opened during a two-day training event in surgery organised by Mr Roger Sutton, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery t ogether with the Royal College, the British Medical Association and the Department of Surgery.