A SOUTHAMPTON scientist has been awarded £200,000 to investigate the link between breast cancer and sugar.

University of Southampton scientist Dr Jeremy Blaydes, pictured, has been given the grant by research charity Breast Cancer Now to study how cancer cells become dependent on sugar.

Unlike normal healthy cells, cancer cells use up lots of glucose, or sugar, in order to aggressively spread throughout the body.

The three-year project will use cancer cells grown in a lab to explore their dependence on glucose – known as breast cancer’s “sweet tooth” – and if it can be exploited to develop new treatments against the disease.

Dr Blaydes, 47, from Bassett, said: “The research is something we have been working on and building on for quite a lot of time.

“Breast Cancer Now is one of the biggest breast cancer charities in the UK and to have the funding is essential for me to do the work.

“We have got some great people working on it and we are very excited to get to work.”

Each year, almost 1,200 Hampshire women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 250 of them die from the disease.

Dr Richard Berks, senior research communications officer at Breast Cancer Now, said: “We must find ways to stop the disease in its tracks.

“Dr Blaydes’ research could lead to new treatments that exploit breast cancer’s ‘sugar craving’.”

Southampton based electronic manufacturer Veho has also announced they will donate a minimum of £25k this year and their Southampton FC shirt sponsorship to Breast Cancer Now for a match.

The charity’s logo will appear on the club’s shirt for the Premier League game against Leicester City on Saturday, October 17 at St Mary’s.

Veho will also donate a minimum of £25,000 this year to help fund the charity’s research.