Professor Nick Lemoine

Director of the Institute of Cancer, Barts and The London

Director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, Barts and The London

Leader of the Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts and The London

Professor Lemoine is the Director of both the Institute of Cancer and the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, having joined Barts and The London in April 2004. He also leads the Centre for Molecular Oncology, where the research of four groups focuses on the molecular pathology of solid malignancies, gene transcription biology, cell survival signalling, and molecular therapeutics including gene therapy and vaccine approaches.

For more information see The Institute of Cancer web-site

Question and Answer Session

Why did you become a molecular biologist?
The molecular genetic revolution was picking up pace as I qualified in medicine, and by the time I undertook my PhD the opportunities for exploiting information at the molecular level for translation into clinical applications were becoming evident. I realised that the new frontiers for the development of truly novel therapies and approaches to early diagnosis would open up in this field, and being dually qualified as a clinician and scientist would arm me to make an impact for patient benefit where it really matters.

Why did you specialize in pancreatic cancer?
My early clinical training in surgical posts and then in pathology in the 1980s gave me direct exposure to the terrible toll of this disease, and my move to the Hammersmith Hospital brought me close to leading clinical teams who - despite enormous experience and skill - were frustrated at their inability to achieve cure. Like many others early in their careers, I wanted a big challenge where I could make a big difference.

What motivated you to specialize in gene therapy?
The opportunity to translate a genetic discovery directly into a genetic therapy was enticing. Our first gene therapy agent (for breast cancer) went from the discovery of a genetic defect in cancer cells to a agent being injected into patients in just three years, a fraction of the time that development of a conventional drug typically takes. While the field of gene therapy has yielded few breakthoughs over its first decade, some of the most promising developments are in cancer.

What has given you the most satisfaction in your career?
The longstanding collaboration with John Neoptolemos and colleagues in Liverpool has produced a genuine symbiosis between clinicians and scientists, with a string of publications recording new discoveries in pancreatic cancer cell biology and translation into clinical applications.

What has caused most frustration?
The difficulty in attracting funding for pancreatic cancer research as a "minority interest" was a real problem in the early days. The major funders - and industry - were focused on the top five cancers, and with pancreatic cancer just outside it was always frustrating. The recognition - partly as a result of our work - that pancreatic cancer is genuinely different at the molecular and genetic level has started to turn the tide.

Where do you see the advances coming in research to help pancreatic cancer treatment?
We now know more about the molecular biology of pancreatic cancer than perhaps any other tumour type, and the generation of really effective animal and cellular models of the disease puts us in an excellent position to develop novel therapeutics for clinical application.

What is your vision for the CRUK Clinical Centre at St Barts and the London?
Our mission is to take a molecular approach to the problem of cancer in patients and populations. This is exemplified by the programme in pancreatic cancer research which spans basic research at the molecular genetic level through to translational studies in large patient populations.

What would provide the greatest help in the fight against pancreatic cancer?
Globally, a reduction in cigarette smoking because although this is probably a significant factor in perhaps 20% of cases of the disease, the massive rise in tobacco use in the developing world will lead to a huge rise in pancreatic cancer incidence there. A test that allowed detection of the disease at a pre-invasive stage that allowed us to select patients for curative surgery - or perhaps chemopreventative interventions in the future - would be a major breakthrough.

Why do you support the aims of Pancreatic Cancer UK?
Raising awareness of this disease is critical to making progress at every level, from patient support and education through to influencing the course of medical research.