TWO Penarth scientists have been awarded more than £200,000 by a charity, to carry out pioneering cancer research.

Dr Duncan Baird and Dr Chris Pepper, who lead a team at Cardiff University, have been given £216,500 by the charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to investigate mutations that cause the development of leukaemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a cancer in which the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells, causing a range of problems with the immune system. It develops slowly, often over many years, and while it is treatable it remains incurable.

But the two doctors believe they may have discovered a way to predict the progression of the disease.

And they hope that by studying the DNA damage within leukaemia cells further, they will be able to find ways to slow down the progression of CLL in patients.

Forty-year-old Dr Baird, of Channel View, said: "Using CLL cells and the latest technology which allows us to detect tiny amounts of DNA, we will map exactly the link between chromosome damage and each stage of the cancer.

"The ultimate goal is to find ways to interfere with the process and develop drugs to actually stop the leukaemia progressing.

"We received the top-rated grant in the funding round from the CLL, which is a massive boost for us as scientists and the university as a whole. We are delighted, as without this sort of funding very little research would be possible."

Around 3,300 people are diagnosed with CLL in the UK every year. It is predominantly a blood cancer of later life, with most people diagnosed with CLL over 65 years old.

Dr David Grant, scientific director at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, said: "We are very excited to be funding this project at Cardiff University, which is a world-class research facility.

"CLL is the most common leukaemia in the UK but it is still incurable. However, many successful treatments have been developed for cancer in recent years which can slow down its development and keep it under control. We have high hopes that this research will contribute to this progress."