RESEARCH NEWS
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT THIS YEAR Over the past 12 months, Westminster academics have continued to deliver research with impact, contributing to the University’s rich profile of world-leading innovation. Here is a glimpse of some of the key discoveries made across our four research communities this year.
16 NETWORK |
1
GENE-EDITING TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER CELLS CAN REVERSE ITS SPREAD Dr Pinar Uysal-Onganer, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology and Lead of Cancer Research at Westminster, led the study which shows that removing small genetic parts of our genomes, called microRNAs, from triple negative breast cancer cells can reverse its spread. Researchers identified that the amount of a major cancer-related microRNA, miR-21, is increased in triple negative breast cancer and is also linked to metastasis (the spread of cancer cells in the body). They then used a genomeediting method to remove the miR-21 from the cancer cells, and found that the metastatic features of the cells were reversed.
| ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2021
2
PINK DRINKS CAN MAKE YOU RUN FASTER AND FURTHER
A study led by the University’s Centre for Nutraceuticals shows that pink drinks can help to make you run faster and further compared to clear drinks. For the study, participants were asked to run on a treadmill for 30 minutes, rinsing their mouths with either a pink or clear drink throughout. Both drinks were exactly the same and only differed in appearance – the researchers added food dye to the pink drink to change the colour. The researchers chose pink as it is associated with perceived sweetness and therefore increases expectations of sugar and carbohydrate intake. The results show that the participants ran an average 212 metres further with the pink drink, while their mean speed during the exercise test increased by 4.4 per cent.
