Join us for Professor Rakesh Heer’s Imperial Inaugural online or in person.

There is no need to register to attend so please be sure to use the add to calendar button.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 7 May!

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males in the UK and its biology is extensively studied. Understanding this fundamental biology drives the development of biomarkers for early detection and new treatments to improve survival for patients. However, when we question the “ground truth” of this underpinning biology, it isn’t always as robust as it seems.

In this lecture, I will describe a personal journey questioning the science of prostate cancer and how this lead my team to establish new descriptions of prostate stem cell biology and the unique insights these now provide into describing mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Similar parallels about the quality of science the informs our evidence based clinical practice will also be described. I will illustrate how my experience with the PHOTO study, the largest surgical trial in bladder cancer in UK history, challenged the status quo and why positive trials don’t always lead to improvement in patient outcomes. The common theme of the lecture will talk of the importance of continuing to question the evidence and that the “long way round” to get the answer is often the right way round.

Rakesh Heer is Professor and Chair of Urology in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London. In his inaugural lecture, he will discuss how his research challenges the preexisting science of prostate cancer in his mission to improve patient outcomes.

Biography

Having qualified in Nottingham in 1997, Professor Heer moved to the Newcastle to undertake his surgical training. During this time, he also completed a PhD (2006), culminating in work that won the European Urology Association’s prize for the best paper in international literature (2008). He then went onto be awarded a prestigious Hunterian Medal and Professorship from Royal College of Surgeons of England (2010). Professor Heer continued to develop his research program and became one of the few surgeons awarded a CRUK Clinician Scientist Fellowship (2010), delivering pioneering research into prostate cancer biology.

Professor Heer leads large portfolio of cross-cutting science research from understanding the mechanisms of cancer, its translational biology and clinical trials. His currently active clinical trials including PCUK/NIHR TRANSFORM (screening for prostate cancer), NIHR FOLLOW UP (developing safe and effective follow up services after cancer treatment), NIHR COBRA (testing new treatments for highly recurrent bladder cancer), NIHR ELIPSE (surgical approaches in prostate cancer surgery to reduce cancer recurrence) and NIHR PARTIAL (comparing kidney-sparing partial with total kidney removal for renal cancers). Professor Heer also has a number of national leadership roles, including Deputy Chair NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (2022-), NICE Clinical Guidelines Chairman (2021-), RSC/BAUS Surgical Speciality Lead and Chair of The Urology Foundation (TUF) Charity’s Scientific and Education Committee.