Dawoud Dar worked as a research technician at the University of Sheffield Medical School in Dr. Spencer J. Collis' neuro-oncological lab studying glioblastoma under the supervision of Ola Rominiyi. The lab used various 2D and 3D models to test novel combination drug therapies targeting multiple DNA damage response pathways to inhibit glioblastoma tumor growth and treatment resistance, including drugs like Ouabain and Curcumin with and without radiotherapy. Dar helped present the lab's research at the Society of Neuro-Oncology conference and gained skills in various laboratory techniques, scientific writing, problem solving, and teamwork during the placement.

1. Dawoud Dar
Research Technician at the University of Sheffield Medical School

2. The University of Sheffield
 Three fields: Teaching. Researching. Practicing
 Dr Spencer J Collis’ lab, under the supervision of PhD candidate, Mr. Ola
Rominiyi
 Neuro-Oncological research into glioblastoma
 Worked alongside researchers of a range of levels 
PhD, MSc, placement students and post-docs
Photo of my lab group and I (middle), Dr Collis (far
left) and Mr. Rominiyi (middle left)

3. Glioblastoma (GBM)
 Most aggressive form of brain tumour
 25% of patients surviving more than one year and ~5% of patients
surviving more than 5 years (Tamimi & Juweid, 2017)
 Fanconi anaemia pathway  DNA damage response (DDR)
- Higher pathway activity = worse patient survival
 Blocking the pathway prevents tumour growth and treatment resistance

4. Novel combination therapies targeting multiple
DDR pathways in 2D and 3D models
 2D/3D clonogenic cell survival assay
 MTT assay
 Western Blot
 PCR
 Cell line derivation from a patient
tumour sample
 Primary and established cell culture
 Immunofluorescence
 Using combinations drugs (e.g. Ouabain, Curcumin, Olaparib) with/without
radiotherapy to inhibit DDR pathways
Techniques:

5. Poster presented at the Society of NeuroOncology (SNO) conference (Rominiyi,
Myers, Vanderlinden, et al., 2019)
Detecting “stemness” of
primary GBM cell line
using stem cell markers
PCR
Primary cell line
derivation from a
patient tumour sample

6. Reflection
 I came away with a whole newly developed skillset, a reignited passion for
science and as a motivated researcher
 Co-author of two publications for SNO
Skills:
 Range of practical techniques
 Confidence
 Problem solving
 Scientific writing
 Time management
 Communication & teamwork
 Initiative
 Professional working practice
 Data analysis
Two publications achieved whilst on
placement
(Rominiyi, Myers, Gomez-Roman, et
al., 2019) (Rominiyi, Myers,
Vanderlinden, et al., 2019)