What’s up Doc?

Luke Piggott made a groundbreaking discovery in the search for a cure for breast cancer in 2011. In addition to his research, he is a professional ice hockey player for the Cardiff Devils

CANAZEI – Not many people can say they play professional ice hockey while being enrolled in university.

But none of them can claim they play professional ice hockey and at the same time make a groundbreaking breakthrough in the quest to cure breast cancer.

Except there is one man; Luke Piggott.

The Great Britain hockey player found a way to sensitize breast cancer stem cells using an anti-agent called TRAIL.

“You never expect to find something quite so significant. I feel very lucky,” he said after Russia beat Britain 8-0 at the 2013 Winter Universiade in Trentino, Italy.

Piggott found in 2011 that by suppressing an inhibitor protein called c-FLIP by sensitizing it with TRAIL his discovery has a 98 percent reduction in secondary tumors. However, it only works when c-FLIP is removed and TRAIL is used simultaneously, which in turn eliminates the breast cancer stem cells. It is these stem cells that spread from the primary tumor in the breast and ultimately are fatal to the patient.

GBR Flagbearer & Team Captain in action

The 25-year-old is a professional hockey player for the Cardiff Devils in the Elite League in Britain where he plays as a forward. He is captain of that team, as well the Universiade team, and was the flag bearer for Team GBR.

“It’s a great honour, and no matter what level you represent your country at, it’s an honour to represent your country…it was a really touching moment.”

Piggott says that he spends eight to nine hours a day in the lab, which comes after an hour and a half spent on the ice in the morning.

“As long as he [university supervisor] is seeing results from me in the lab and as long as my coach is seeing results on the ice then he’s happy too.”

Piggott’s contributions to science have already earned him a job upon graduation where he will work as a postdoctoral cancer research scientist. “It’ll be a continuation of the work that I did during my PhD.”

 

Matt Tidcombe, FISU Young Reporter – Photos by C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer