Goals for the AACR
I am committed to transforming the care of individuals suffering from cancer and the conduct of hypothesis-testing, biomarker-driven, proof-of-concept clinical trials, as evidenced by my track record. My efforts have led to me becoming the head of Division of Clinical Studies at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), an independent college of the University of London. I am a key opinion leader in the development of novel cancer therapies, co-founding and now running, as its director, The Royal Marsden Drug Development Unit, one of the world’s largest trials units for cancer patients and leading our Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre team. I am a leader in prostate cancer research, having changed the treatment of these diseases through trials of abiraterone, cabazitaxel, enzalutamide, olaparib, and Lutetium PSMA.
Research Interests
Clinical research; immunology; experimental and molecular therapeutics; prostate cancer; clinical development of multiple PARP inhibitors (talazoparib, niraparib, and olaparib); mapping the genomic landscape of advanced prostate cancer; circulating biomarkers.
Current Affiliations
Regius professor in experimental cancer medicine and honorary consultant medical oncologist; head, Clinical Studies Division; director, Drug Development Unit; and head, Prostate Cancer Targeted Therapy Group, The Institute of Cancer Research/The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
Previous Positions
Reader, experimental cancer medicine (2009-2010); and senior lecturer (2003-2009), The Institute of Cancer Research/The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; faculty member, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinician-Scientist (2002-2003); and senior fellow, Health Science Center (2000-2001), Institute for Drug Development, The University of Texas, Health Science Center, San Antonio.
Education
PhD, molecular biology (1997), and MSc, medical oncology (2000), the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, United Kingdom; MBChB, medicine (1989), and MRCP, internal medicine (1993), School of Medicine Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Postdoctoral Training
Senior fellow, Institute for Drug Development, The University of Texas, Health Science Center (2000-2001), San Antonio, Texas.
Selected AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, Science Education and Career Advancement Committee (2022-2025); chair, AACR Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research Committee (2022-2023); member, AACR Exploratory IND/Phase 0 Clinical Trials Task Force (2021-present); member, Education and Training (2012-2015, 2019-2022); member, Annual Meeting Clinical Trials Committee (2013-2014, 2014-2016, 2019-2020, 2024-2025); recipient, AACR-Joseph H. Burchenal Clinical Cancer Research Award (2018); cochair, AACR Special Conference: Prostate Cancer—Advances in Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research (2017); member, AACR NextGen Transformative Grants Scientific Review Committee (2015-2017); cochair, AACR Clinical Research and Experimental Therapeutics Awards Committee (2015-2016); cochair, Annual Meeting Program Committee (2014-2015); member, Editorial Board, AACR Journal, Clinical Cancer Research (2012-present); recipient, Team Science Award (2012); member, Chemistry in Cancer Research Working Group Steering Committee (2011-2014); member, AACR Special Conferences Committee (2011-2017, 2020-2024); scientific editor, AACR Journal, Cancer Discovery (2011-present); senior editor, AACR Journal, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (2008-2015).
Selected Non-AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Elected fellow, the Royal Society of Biology (2020); fellow, European Academy of Cancer Sciences (2019); honoree, World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds (2015); scientific committee chair, ESMO Congress Meeting (2014); appointed center director, London Movember Centre of Excellence for Prostate Cancer (2014); elected member, the Academy of Medical Sciences (2012); lead investigator, Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) Prostate Cancer Dream Team (2012); member, European Male Urology Conference (EMUC) Organizing Committee (2012); member, ASCO Education Committee (2012); recipient, ESMO Award, 36th ESMO Annual Congress in Stockholm (2011); member, Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Oncology (2010); member, Editorial Board, European Journal of Cancer (2010); member, Editorial Board, The Oncologist (2010); elected member, ESMO National Representative for the UK (2006-2008); elected member, NCRI Prostate Cancer Clinical Studies Group (2006); recipient, ASCO Young Investigator Award ($35,000). “Inhibiting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Signaling in Metastatic Breast Carcinoma with ZD1839 and Determining Biological Correlates of Activity” (2001).