Leader in aesthetic treatments Laser Clinics UK has announced it will be opening a clinic this April in Hanover Street naming Edinburgh as a priority destination for its ambitious UK expansion.
Laser Clinics is the largest cosmetic clinic company globally, offering state-of-the-art laser hair removal, vascular and pigmentation therapy as well as skin treatments, LED light enhancement and cosmetic injectables. It has over 200 stores globally and with an ambition to take the brand and services to over 100 destinations across the UK.
A spokesperson for Laser Clinics United Kingdom said, “We are very much looking forward to opening a clinic in Edinburgh. We assess all our locations carefully and it has always been a key destination in our expansion plans, we feel that we have found the ideal location at Hanover Street.
“We are already starting to build our team and would welcome applications from therapists already skilled in laser hair removal and skin treatments. At Laser Clinics we recognise that many of our services offer life changing benefits to our clients. Our Therapists and Clinicians often provide interventions that positively contribute to greater wellbeing, improved self-esteem and confidence.”
Laser Clinics United Kingdom, Edinburgh will offer the following services:
• Laser Hair Removal – Laser Hair Removal permanently reduces hair so you don’t have to waste time shaving, leaving you ready at a moment’s notice. Laser Clinics have treatments suitable for all skin types and offer complimentary consultations.
• Skin Treatments – Revitalise your skin by targeting any area – wrinkles, veins, pigmentation, acne or scarring, or simply create a more radiant complexion. Enhance, rejuvenate, refresh your skin with a range of non-invasive, professional treatments.
• Cosmetic Injectables – Wrinkles and volume loss are a natural part of the ageing process – as our skin gets thinner and our body decreases its production of natural collagen and elastin.
From dermal fillers to anti-wrinkle treatments, lip filler to chin sculpting, the experienced team at Laser Clinics can provide a tailored treatment plan to deliver on your aesthetic goals. Laser Clinics United Kingdom, Edinburgh will be located at 16 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EN.
New research has identified the role of the immune response within bowel cancer tissue, which could lead to new lifesaving treatments for bowel cancer patients.
The study at Queen’s University Belfast analysed over 1,000 tumour samples from patients diagnosed with bowel cancer. Through analysing the visual appearance of the tumour as well as its genetic make-up, the researchers were then able to test how the immune cells within the tumour responded to different treatments in the laboratory.
The study showed that stimulating a viral-like response within a tumour can reawaken the patient’s own immune system to detect and kill cancer cells. This immune response, similar to a person’s general response to an infection, plays an important role in controlling tumour spread in some bowel cancer patients.
Although in early stage research, it is hoped that this personalised approach to treatment for bowel cancer patients could lead to increased survival rates. The research team will now focus on developing clinical trials, with the aim to treat patients within the next five years.
Dr Philip Dunne, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Pathology at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s and senior author of the study, commented: “In order to identify the most appropriate treatment options for cancer patients, our work combines features from the tumour’s visual appearance down the microscope with information about changes in the genetic make-up of the person’s tumour.
“We have found that stimulating a subset of immune cells to react in the same way that they would to a virus can reactivate multiple steps within the immune system. In cancer patients with early stage tumours that remain localised to the bowel, this enables the immune system to attack cancer cells and reduces the risk of the disease spreading.”
Queen’s PhD student and first author on the study, Shania Corry, explains: “Our findings show that a viral-like response within a tumour can reawaken the patient’s own immune system to detect and kill cancer cells, an approach that has shown remarkable effectiveness in our tumour models.
“We used a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA, which in many ways is similar to a non-specific vaccine. It looks like a virus to the immune cells though it doesn’t contain any viral replication material. This is a really exciting development, and we hope that this approach will now lead to new treatment options for patients with bowel cancer.”
Bowel cancer is the 4th most common cancer in the UK, with around 42,900 new bowel cancer cases and around 16,600 bowel cancer deaths in the UK every year. The study, published in Gut, to coincide with Bowel Cancer Awareness month, was led by Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with scientists and clinicians across the UK and Europe as part of two international consortia funded by Cancer Research UK.
Dr Dunne added: “Our study highlights how research can provide clinicians with vital intelligence to make the right treatment decisions for patients in the clinic.
“We have already started the process of developing a clinical trial to test this new “personalised cancer medicine” approach, which has the potential to improve survival and enhance quality of life for bowel cancer patients in the next five years as we develop our work in clinical trials.”
This study used tumour samples from over 1,000 patients diagnosed with bowel cancer, which in turn required analysis and interpretation of the resulting data across an international network of multidisciplinary researchers.
Professor Owen Sansom, Director of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow and co-author on the study, said: “This exciting new research demonstrates how cross-disciplinary collaborations, between scientists and clinicians, are essential to ensure we comprehensively characterise a patient’s tumour, allowing us to test novel treatments specifically designed to target the biology of the disease.”
Professor Mark Lawler, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics and Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s, who co-authored the study said: “This important study demonstrates how scientific research at Queen’s can develop innovative new ways to treat cancer.
“The work pioneered by Dr Dunne’s research team validates our investment in “rising stars” who have the confidence to lead team science initiatives with prestigious international partners, addressing global challenges which will improve the lives of cancer patients.”
Responding to the study, Dr Sam Godfrey, Research Information Lead at Cancer Research UK, said: “An important goal for beating cancer is to work out how to train our immune systems to recognize the disease and attack it.
“So It is really interesting that we could manipulate one of the defences our bodies use to deal with viruses so that it can tackle cancer.
“Further studies are needed to assess the potential of this approach in patients, but it is an exciting development that could unlock new targeted treatments for bowel cancer.”
The research study was supported by an Early Detection project grant and International accelerator programme, both funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), with additional funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Queen’s University Foundation, a charitable trust that funds the world-class research in Queen’s.
Action Mesothelioma Day (Action Meso Day), an annual event to raise awareness of mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos, will this year be a virtual event hosted by broadcaster, academic, and mesothelioma patient, Kate Williams.
The UK has the world’s highest incidence of mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, with more than 2,700 people diagnosed each year. Over 1600 schools in Scotland contain asbestos.
Hosted by the UK Mesothelioma Alliance (UKMA) as part of its ActionMeso campaign, the event will be held from 12.30pm to 1.30pm on Friday 2 July.
It will include panel discussions, clinical trials updates, expert insights and patient stories for anyone affected by mesothelioma. ActionMeso supporters, including support groups and charities in Scotland, will be hosting their own activities before or after the main event.
Patients, family members, friends, carers, local dignitaries, healthcare professionals, asbestos removal companies, law firms and anyone interested in mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos are invited to join the event.
Registration is free at www.actionmeso.org/amd21 and the hashtag #ActionMeso will be used on social media platforms.
Kate Williams, broadcaster, academic, mesothelioma patient and host for the national event, said: “I was honoured to be asked to host Action Meso Day 2021. As a peritoneal mesothelioma patient myself, I am all too aware of the importance of raising awareness of the disease and the dangers of asbestos.
“This is a chance to hear from people directly affected by this cancer and along with other patients, I will be sharing my story. We’ll also be learning about the latest in treatment and care from healthcare professionals.
“Events like this and the #ActionMeso campaign are vital if we are to see companies and the government take action and prevent other families being affected by this disease.”
Phyllis Craig MBE, Director of Action on Asbestos said, “Our charity is proud to be part of an initiative that brings people together to raise awareness that mesothelioma is a preventable condition.
“Being a charity that covers the whole of Scotland we know only too well the devastation that is caused to those diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families, especially when this condition is caused through no fault of their own.
“The fact that asbestos remains in over 1600 schools in Scotland is terrifying, because this means that we may continue to see more people being diagnosed with mesothelioma in another 20 to 30 years. If we stand united, we can eradicate asbestos from all public buildings and safeguard our future – our children.”
Statistics show that 94 per cent of mesothelioma cases in the UK are caused by workplace exposures and are preventable.
ActionMeso is campaigning to promote the Mesothelioma Patient Charter to employers, healthcare providers and politicians in all the nations of the United Kingdom, which sets out the action needed to prevent this disease and ensure more families do not suffer.
