Cancer expert appointed Chief Clinician of Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK has appointed leading cancer researcher Professor Peter Johnson as its first Chief Clinician.

Prof Johnson is currently the charity’s Chair of Medical Oncology and Director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre in Southampton, based at the University of Southampton.

His research is focused on how the immune system deals with cancer and how a person’s own defence system can be re-targeted to allow it to attack cancerous cells. The Southampton group is developing a number of anti-cancer therapeutic antibodies and vaccines – including potential treatments for prostate cancer. He is also a leading expert in lymphoma – a cancer of the body’s lymphatic system.

Professor Johnson’s work has been funded by Cancer Research UK for over 15 years.

He will join the charity on a part-time basis, enabling him to continue his existing clinical research.

Professor Johnson said: “This is a very exciting time to be in cancer medicine. We have seen a rapid acceleration in our understanding of what makes cancer develop and how the body responds to it, which has given us a wealth of new treatments to use in the clinic. Translating the discoveries of basic science into medicines that can prolong or save a person’s life is incredibly challenging and rewarding.

“This new role at Cancer Research UK offers a unique opportunity to help shape our clinical research, and to make sure that we bring the best young doctors into this field for the future: there has never been a better time to do this.”

Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Professor Johnson is at the top of his field and an eminent cancer clinician. He will bring a new vision and leadership to the charity’s clinical work, which will allow us to accelerate our already ambitious goals of diagnosing and treating cancer faster and more effectively. And he will ensure our clinical plans and developments are ambitious through his extensive medical research experience.”

Professor Johnson will formally take up the new post of Chief Clinician at Cancer Research UK in January 2008. He will be a member of both the charity’s Executive and Scientific Executive Boards.

ENDS

For more information, please contact the Cancer Research UK Press Office on 020 7061 8300.