What is your role in the BTRU?
I am the Director of Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Precision Cellular Therapeutics. With our research, we are seeking to develop new advanced cell therapies for the clinic and to better understand their impact when used to treat patients.
What does a typical day involve?
There is no typical day - partly because I see patients on the ward as well as overseeing laboratory (lab) research. In the lab, I meet with the students and postdoctoral researchers where we look at data and plan new experiments. I usually have other things to do- such as teaching, sorting out budgets, writing new grants, attending seminars, conducting exams, or meeting with collaborators.
On the ward, I lead a medical team looking after patients being treated for blood cancers, for example, with bone marrow transplants. Every patient has different needs, so part of the challenge is developing individual care plans tailored to each person. I really enjoy getting to know patients and their families.
What do you like most about your job?
I love the mix of seeing patients and working in the lab because they are so different. One day, I might see a patient who has been cured after a new type of therapy. Another day, a student will show me data from an experiment that might one day be used to design a new treatment.
What made you decide to work in this area?
Many of the most important advances in medicine in relation to genetics, anti-cancer therapy and immune therapy were first introduced in the field of blood diseases.
What is your greatest success at work to date?
I helped to design new ways of performing bone marrow transplants (called ‘reduced-intensity’ transplants) which have allowed more patients, especially older individuals, to receive this treatment.
Are there any aspects of your work that might surprise people?
Our research involves both a wet lab and a dry lab. A wet lab is what most people think of when they imagine a laboratory – test tubes, solutions and pipettes. However, a dry lab is just as important. It involves using computers and sophisticated software to analyse vast amounts of data. Most research scientists in our lab are involved in both wet and dry lab research.
How do you think your work might change in the near future?
New gene editing technologies will be transformative. We are moving quickly from using this technology in the lab to actively exploring how we can use it to help treat individuals with cancer or genetic diseases.
How do you explain your job to other people and what do they normally say?
I usually say I am a doctor who looks after people who have blood cancer. I sometimes explain that I specialise in bone marrow transplants or cell therapies, although this usually leads to a lot more questions!!
What do you enjoy outside of work?
I like to run and cycle. My son and I recently cycled from London to Paris as a part of a charity ride. My wife and I also have also acquired a new puppy who is very naughty and keeps us very busy!
What would your dream job be – if you were not a researcher/ scientist?
An astronaut, obviously!
Which scientist or other person (living or dead) would you most like to meet?
I would like to meet Sir Peter Medawar (1915-1987), a Nobel Prize winner, who was instrumental in developing our understanding of the immune system.