{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Rad Chat","title":"E224: Constance Fourny - Brain Cancer Immunology and Life as a PhD Researcher","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1825,"description":"Trigger Warning: this episode discusses brain cancer and the use of patient blood and tumour samples in research.\n\nEpisode 224: Part of the Education and Workforce Development series (Part 76)\n\nDescription: In this fascinating episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Constance Fourny.\n\nConnie is a final-year PhD student whose career has taken her into the world of cancer research. Her work explores proteins, peptides, cell signalling and how cells move, focusing on gliomas and identifying targets for new brain cancer treatments by studying how the immune system responds to peptides presented on the surface of tumour cells.\n\nHaving grown up in France before moving to the UK, Connie studied biomedical science, fell in love with immunology, and completed her master's in immunology at King's College London before starting her PhD. She hopes to continue in academic cancer research after her viva.\nThis episode is a deep dive into how cancers evade the immune system, why gliomas are so difficult to treat, how patient consent works for research samples, and the resilience, optimism and sense of purpose behind laboratory cancer research.\n\nCPD Reflection Points:\n1. Understanding tumour biology: Connie described how gliomas vary between patients and within a single tumour, and how cancers can evade immune detection. How does understanding the biology behind treatment resistance shape the way you would explain treatment options, outcomes or emerging therapies such as immunotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy to patients?\n2. The person behind the sample: Connie spoke about informed consent for tissue samples and staying connected to the patient behind each one. How is consent for research handled in your setting, and how do you keep the patient at the centre when you work with their data, images or treatment plans rather than with them directly?\n3. Contributing to research: Connie compared research to laying the foundation stones of a cathedral. What role do you...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/0wFiffqRab_C_nPB5bCBJUg_mULsM2eF_DxRLoq0kVA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xZDE3/OGQ3YjY4OTE4Yjkz/ZmQzNTJhNDlkYmQz/OTY3ZC5KUEc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}