The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dundee cancer scientist leads fundraising bicycle challenge
CHARITY: Public urged to saddle up and cover 300 miles to boost research
A Dundee scientist is leading the call for people to get in the saddle for Cancer Research UK to put it back on track after the impact of the pandemic.
Charity chiefs who have seen vital research and fundraising stalled hope a lockdown upsurge in cycling will see many follow the lead of Dundee University researcher Dr Laureano de la Vega in taking the Cycle 300 challenge.
Participants can choose how, when and where to cycle 300 miles in September to raise money for life-saving research.
Dr de la Vega, 41, who hails from Huelva in Spain, lives in Craigowl with his wife Rita, also a cancer researcher, and their three children.
He said: “I love cycling. Like many families during lockdown we have enjoyed the mental and physical benefits of spending more time exercising on our bikes. Cycle 300 is a great way to raise money for Cancer Research UK’s vital research.”
Dr de la Vega is looking at new ways to treat lung cancer and a disease called triple negative breast cancer.
Research suggests about 15% of all breast cancers are triple negative, which can be harder to treat and have a poorer outlook as they cannot be treated with hormone treatments or the targeted cancer drug Herceptin.
Dr de la Vega is investigating a biological process called transcription which takes information DNA to make proteins in a bid to identify new ways to impair tumour growth.
Covid-19 meant he and his team had to pause their lab work but they have kept up the fight from home, writing up results and planning experiments.
The work is slowly restarting but with new safety measures and complex experiments to recover, it could take time to get fully back up and running.
Participants can sign up for Cycle 300 at www.cruk.org/cycle300