New funds back cancer and autoimmune disease research at Oxford

Science 24 Mar 11 Romark's Professor Jean-François Rossignol and University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton unveil a plaque marking the opening of the Romark Centre for Virology and Cell Biology Research Oxford University's Glycobiology Institute has won multi-million-pound funding for new research into antiviral drugs for treating cancers and parasitic diseases. A new centre, the Romark Centre for Virology and Cell Biology Research, is being established with the new funding, with the support of the Florida-based pharmaceutical company Romark Laboratories. Romark is lead by Professor Jean-François Rossignol, a visiting professor at Oxford. The centre's Director will be Dr Terry Butters of the Glycobiology Institute. The institute studies the biological properties of sugars attached to proteins and is part of Oxford University's Department of Biochemistry. Professor Rossignol is credited with the development of three antiparasitic drugs and has been working on a pilot study with the institute to develop the antiviral properties of nitazoxanide, the third of those treatments. Professor Raymond Dwek, Institute Director, said: 'Jean François is an inspired clinician and it was natural that he came to us.