The emphasis was on cooperation and scientific collaboration during yesterday's Lecture for the UK-Sweden Life Sciences in the McCrum Lecture Theatre, where researchers from both countries came together to discuss bilateral research collaboration in whole genome sequencing (WGS) in paediatric cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

Featuring paediatric oncologists Fellow of Corpus Professor Sam Behjati and Doctor Aditi Vedi, along with Professor David Gisselsson Nord from Lund University, the annual Lecture was the first of its kind, jointly organised by the Swedish and UK Offices for Life Sciences, the University of Cambridge, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Lund University.

The event was introduced by Professor Ewan St. John Smith, with remarks also given by the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, Debbie Prentice, and the Swedish Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Stefan Gullgren (pictured at right).

Sam, who was recently recognised for his outstanding contributions to cancer research by the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences, works in the NHS as a practising consultant, leads a research group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and is a Clinical Professor of Paediatric Oncology. In his clinical research role, Professor Behjati ensures that every child with a solid tumour in the region can have WGS. This provides patients with a quicker and more precise diagnosis and more targeted therapies than other methods, which enables the clinical team to provide tailored treatment to each child.

In his remarks, Sam stressed that cross-country collaboration is particularly important in research and treatment of childhood cancers because they are rare (approximately 1,800 cases per year in the UK) and therefore do not attract as much research funding from industry. In addition, gathering genomic information from larger patient groups in different countries expands the datasets needed for research into potential therapies.

The three scientists discuss the event in this short video. 

Before the Lecture, the participants and colleagues enjoyed lunch at the College and then visited the Parker Library, where Professor Philippa Hoskin and Sub-Librarian Tuija Ainonen showed them a collection of manuscripts and printed books, including a copy of the monumental Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (Description of the Northern Peoples) by the Swedish Catholic ecclesiastic Olaus Magnus, printed in Rome in 1555.