OSCAR: Omics Approaches to Urological Cancer Diagnosis

Welcome to the OSCAR study page

Current screening for prostate cancer (PCa) has a high level of over-diagnosis, resulting in many men needlessly having invasive tests and arduous unnecessary treatment. There is therefore a need to identify new biomarkers, based on innovative screening approaches.

Omics is a field showing increasing promise in the identification of biological markers indicating disease. Metabolomics allows a snapshot of metabolism to be obtained and may be considered the sum of all omic approaches as it integrates transcriptomic and translational regulatory mechanisms.

This research project is a collaboration between Aberystwyth University (AU) and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB). The aim is to use a “big biology” ‘omic approach, to screen for novel metabolic changes in PCa patients, which can aid in both the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. These metabolites could be developed into point of care tests, e.g., based on lateral flow systems.

The OSCAR Strategy

We work with patient and volunteer samples (blood and urine) and use so called "omic" approaches to work out what is in the samples. We examine genes, proteins, biochemicals and microbes to see what is different in people who have prostate cancer compared to a range of other diseases.

Meet the Team

PhD

Tracy C. Knight

Tracy went to university as a mature student gaining a BSc in Biochemistry at Aberystwyth University. She is now studying for a PhD at Aberystwyth investigating new approaches to screening for prostate cancer, employing novel genetic, metabolomic and proteomic approaches. Outside of research Tracy enjoys reading and movies, alongside spending time with family and friends.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Maelor Academic Unit of Medical & Surgical Sciences (MAUMSS)

MAUMSS is designed to support research within BCUHB and more widely to promote collaborative academic activity. MAUMSS is led by three clinical and academic consultants. It is staffed by an interdisciplinary team of academics, clinicians and scientists. It has several laboratories that are supported by technicians containing state-of-the-art molecular, analytical and diagnostic equipment.