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The North Wales and North West Urological Research Centre (NW2URC) was established by Professor Iqbal Shergill and Professor Stephen Fôn Hughes in January 2014.  

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Now embedded within MAUMSS, the NW2URC continues to provide the opportunity to develop, undertake and promote urological research in North Wales and beyond.

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Overview of Research

The number of patients in the UK having surgical interventions for the treatment of benign and malignant disorders of the kidneys, prostate, and bladder is increasing annually. As such, there have been an increasing number of patients developing disease recurrence and progression, as well as post-operative complications (e.g. infection and blood clots).

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Post-operative complications result in patients requiring longer hospital stays, poor patient experience and outcomes, as well as carrying additional financial constraints for the healthcare provider (NHS). Minor improvements in the monitoring of these patients following treatment could possibly have financial benefits for the healthcare provider and health benefits for the nation.

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Specifically, our current research interests are divided into the following areas: 

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Clinical

• Kidney stones and kidney cancer

• Bladder cancer

• Benign and malignant disorders of the prostate

• Clinical outcome measures (e.g. acute kidney injury, infection, bleeding, oedema, blood clots) and their relationship with biological markers

 

Scientific

• Leukocyte biology

• Vascular endothelium

• Inflammation

• Cytokines & adhesion molecules

• Biomarkers

 

Early indications are that our studies may lead to important intervention relating to both treatment and diagnosis in these patients. Currently only simple non-specific blood tests are available to predict clinical outcomes and post-operative complications. No biomarker profiles are available to forecast with confidence, post- operative complications or to predict cancer recurrence and progression. Our aim therefore, is to establish such profiles. 

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Specifically, patients with cancer and benign conditions of the kidney, bladder and prostate will benefit as a result of increased ability in detecting recurrence and progression, allowing stricter surveillance follow-up programmes. Our research study promises to help patients (regionally and nationally) who have been diagnosed with various urological disorders, and will ultimately allow current NHS post-operative care protocols to be revised and improved; thus improving the patients’ health and well-being.

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Our Research Group

Group Leaders:

Professor Iqbal Shergill (Consultant Urological Surgeon,; Director MAUMSS)

Professor Stephen Fôn Hughes (Consultant Biomedical Scientist; Director MAUMSS)

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Clinical Staff:

Mr Basharat Jameel (Consultant Urological Surgeon, BCUHB, Wrexham Maelor Hospital)

Mr Christian Seipp (Consultant Urological Surgeon, BCUHB, Wrexham Maelor Hospital)

Professor Kingsley Ekwueme (Consultant Urological Surgeon, BCUHB, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd)

Mr Manit Arya (Consultant Urological and Uro-oncology Surgeon, UCLH, London)

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Academic Staff:

Dr Jon Power (Lecturer – Histology, University of Chester)

Dr Sohail Mushtaq (Senior Lecturer – Clinical Biochemistry, University of Chester)

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Current Research Students:

Mrs Nana Yaa F. Snyper (PhD student – Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) & Prostate Cancer, registered with Wrexham Glyndwr University)

Mrs Tracy Knight (PhD student - Prostate Cancer, registered with Aberystwyth University)

Dr Abigail Duckett (Academic Foundation Doctor/MRes student - Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, registered with Wrexham Glyndwr University)

Dr Bethan Hughes (Academic Foundation Doctor/MRes student - Prostate Cancer, registered with Wrexham Glyndwr University)

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Completed MRes/PhD students:

Dr Sacha Moore (MRes dissertation - kidney stones), Wrexham Glyndwr University - 2021 (distinction)

Dr Chris Bell (MRes dissertation - kidney stones), Wrexham Glyndwr University - 2021 (distinction)

Dr Amarit Gill (MRes dissertation - bladder cancer), Wrexham Glyndwr University - 2021 (distinction)

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Dr Peter Ella-Tongwiis (PhD – Bladder Cancer), University of Chester - 2020 (pass viva-voce)

Dr Alyson Moyes (PhD – Kidney stones), University of Chester - 2019 (pass viva-voce)

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