Solid cancers
Our aim is to improve the outcome of patients with cancer with a primary focus on clinical trials and linked laboratory research.
We are a highly collaborative unit with local, national and international links. We are formed of several clinical academics, three basics science groups and the Wales Cancer Biobank. We are particularly interested in the effects of multiple therapies on the cancer and the patient, and have current strengths in novel combination trials and radiotherapy trials.
We have funding from various sources including Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer UK, Medical Research Council and, within Wales, by Cancer Research Wales, Tenovus, the Life Sciences Research Network Wales and Health and Care Research Wales.
We have strong links to College Infrastructure units, such as the Centre for Trials Research (WCTU), The Wales Research and Diagnostic PET Imaging Centre and European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute (ECSCRI), and the NHS, particularly Velindre NHS Trust and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
Theme lead
Dr John Staffurth
Director of Radiotherapy Trials and Clinical Reader in Oncology
- staffurthjn@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2031 6964
Area of interest
John is a Clinical Reader and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Cardiff University and Velindre Cancer Centre, Director for Radiotherapy Trials for the Centre for Trials Research and Chair of the Radiotherapy Research Group in Velindre. His clinical practice and research is focussed on urological cancers and radiotherapy.
He is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) prostate cancer study group and of its localised subgroup. He is a member of the NCRI Radiotherapy Research group (CTRad) and chaired its Technology, Physics and Radiotherapy Trials Quality Assurance (RTTQA) work stream for five years. He is on the management group of the NCRI's RTTQA group. He is actively in clinical trial design and delivery across the disease spectrum of prostate and bladder cancer, with a particular interest in radiotherapy trials.
John chairs the translational research group of the PIVOTAL boost trial and leads the pelvic nodal protocol development group. He is the clinical lead for the Cardiff RTTQA group and is involved in researching educational opportunities linked to this.
John has been involved in national groups implementing advanced radiotherapy into the UK, and is a member of the Clinical Oncology Subcommittee of the Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee. He oversees the Late Phase Trials work package of the Wales Cancer Research Centre. John has a long standing collaboration with Dr Emilino Spezi, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering, covering imaging and technology within radiotherapy.
Principal members of staff
| Name | Area of interest |
|---|---|
| Professor Richard Adams, Professor Richard Clarkson and Dr Alison Parry-Jones | Designing and delivering multi-centre late-phase clinical trials and associated translational research in various solid (prostate, bladder, breast, colorectal and head and neck) cancers in collaboration with local, national and international collaborators. |
| Professor John Chester and Dr Robert Jones | Designing and delivering multi-centre early-phase clinical trials and associated translational research in various solid (including bladder, breast, and head and neck) cancers in collaboration with local, national and international collaborators. |
| Professor Richard Adams, Professor Malcolm Mason and Dr Alison Parry-Jones | Collecting and curating tissue samples with a focus on breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer; supporting the generation of novel research groups in these tumours. |
| Dr Aled Clayton | Investigating the complex cell-communication roles of tumour exosomes in the microenvironment, and their utility as cancer biomarkers. |
| Dr Zsuzsanna Tabi | Research group with an interest T-cell immunology in cancer and changes with different therapies, with a particular strength in prostate cancer and mesothelioma. |
| Dr Alan Parker | Research within the Parker group focuses on development of refined, tumour selective virotherapies based on adenoviral vectors for both local and systemic applications in chemotherapy resistant cancers. |
Research groups
Our research creates benefits across health, society and the economy.
