News25 May 2025 06:24
Scientists and medics from Nottingham have developed an ultra-rapid method of genetically diagnosing brain tumours that will cut the time it takes to classify them from 6-8 weeks, to as little as two hours – which could improve care for thousands of patients each year in the UK.
The groundbreaking method has been developed by scientists Matt Loose and Dr Stuart Smith at the University of Nottingham along with clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
The technology was developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies
In the published work, the team at NUH utilised the new approach during 50 brain tumour surgeries to deliver rapid, intraoperative diagnoses. This approach has achieved a 100% success rate, providing diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Moreover, the platform’s ability to continue sequencing enables a fully integrated diagnosis within 24 hours