The School of Health Sciences would like to invite you to this Cancer Care Research Group Seminar on 9th September (12-1pm).
We are delighted to announce our below Guest Speakers and talk titles.
“Pancreatic cancer the not so silent, silent cancer”
Ali Stunt, Founder and Chief Executive, Pancreatic Cancer Action (PCA)
Ali Stunt’s Biography
Ali Stunt was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in October 1965. She is married to Phil and has two sons, James and Nick.
In 2007, having accepted a place from Imperial College, London to pursue a PhD in stable isotope cosmochemistry, (which included the study of meteorites), Ali was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Unlike 90% of the patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Ali was lucky: her illness was detected early enough to allow a life-saving operation. In fact, Ali was just one of the 10% of people who are ever able to have life-saving surgery. After undergoing a ‘distal pancreatectomy’ and ‘splenectomy’ where 80% of the pancreas and all of the spleen is removed, Ali received 6 months of combination chemotherapy and then 6 weeks of chemo-radiotherapy treatment.
Since her surgery, scans have shown ‘no evidence of disease,’ and in 2013, six years after her diagnosis, Ali was ‘signed-off’ by her oncologist.
Having taken the bull by the horns and completed a year of the PhD course at Imperial College, Ali decided academic demands, plus a long daily commute to London, were taking a toll on family life and put it on hold.
But she put this new available time to good use. Having been astounded by the dismal survival rates of pancreatic cancer patients and by the little or no improvement in these rates over the last 40 years, Ali joined forces with others to set up the UK’s very first Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Week in November 2009.
“Reducing harm from the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK”
Matthew Hobbs, Director of Research, Prostrate Cancer UK (PCUK)
Matthew Hobb’s Biography
Matthew was appointed Director of Research in June 2020, having joined the organisation in 2013 as Deputy Director of Research. He is responsible for overseeing our ambitious research strategy, and making sure that only research with the best chance of making a difference for men is funded. Matthew leads our research team: ensuring that we are fully informed about prostate cancer research happening around the world, identifying and investing in areas of the highest strategic importance, and making funding decisions based on sector-leading processes that exceed AMRC best practice guidance. He is well known across the medical research sector having provided informal advice to many other funders, and regularly collaborates with and delivers ‘masterclasses’ for the AMRC. He is also an elected Trustee of the National Cancer Research Institute.
Prior to his roles with Prostate Cancer UK Matthew was the Head of Research at Diabetes UK (2012-13), Senior Project Manager for the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (2010-2012) and Knowledge Transfer Partner with Manchester Business School developing tools for the NHS to support commercial clinical trials (2009-2010). He has a PhD in Chemistry, and MChem in Chemistry with French, from the University of Liverpool.
Outside of work Matthew is a keen runner, currently chasing an elusive sub 3:20 marathon, and even keener purchaser of running shoes. He is a committed Evertonian, spending much of his spare time being bitter about Liverpool FC’s current success, and turning to American sports when English football becomes too depressing.
Please join us by using this link: https://surrey-ac.zoom.us/j/97397843652
No need to register. This seminar will be recorded.
ALL STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY STAFF AND EXTERNAL VISITORS WELCOME
