10 January 2006
Breast Cancer Campaign appoints Dundee Professor as new Chair to its prestigious Scientific Advisory Board
Breast Cancer Campaign (BCC), the only charity that specialises in funding independent research into breast cancer throughout the UK, has appointed Professor Alastair Thompson as the new Chair of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Professor Thompson succeeds Dr Stephen Johnston who led the Board for three years.
Alastair Thompson is the Professor of Surgical Oncology at the University Dundee and is a well respected figure in the world of breast cancer research. He will now lead the thirteen member high-profile SAB, made up of diverse and respected experts in the field of breast cancer, who meet twice a year to carry out a rigorous review process of all the applications that BCC receives for funding. The Board ensures that BCC funds only top quality research into breast cancer.
Professor Thompson said, "I cannot stress the importance of breast cancer research enough. It forms the backbone of all the improvements we have seen for patients with breast cancer over the last twenty years. As Chair I will ensure the Breast Cancer Campaign continues to fund only the best research undertaken by the top scientists in the UK. Following on from Stephen Johnston’s excellent leadership, I also hope to further strengthen Breast Cancer Campaign’s position within the breast cancer research community, as the charity to come to for funding for breast cancer research."
"This really is recognition for all the very good work done by the whole team working on breast cancer research in Dundee. We cover the whole spectrum here from research in the lab to large-scale patient trials for which we receive tremendous support from the public."
Pamela Goldberg, Chief Executive of BCC says, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Stephen Johnston for his time and commitment over the last three years, the Scientific Advisory Board and the Charity’s research programme has flourished under his guidance. We are delighted to be starting 2006 with Professor Thompson who we know will continue to take Breast Cancer Campaign forward with our vital breast cancer research. Alastair is a highly regarded clinician and scientist and also a skilled communicator, who will be able to help us speak to our supporters and the media about the research that we are funding."
Dr Stephen Johnston says, "Breast Cancer Campaign is now seen as the major source of funding for breast cancer researchers in the UK. The Charity has tremendous respect among the research community and this is due in part to the rigorous and transparent system the Board uses to select the best research. I have no doubt that this will continue under Alastair’s leadership."
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Notes to editors
The Charity aims to find a cure for breast cancer by funding research which looks at improving diagnosis of breast cancer, better understanding how it develops and ultimately either curing the disease or preventing it. www.breastcancercampaign.org
2005 is a special year for BCC as it marks 10 years of funding research into breast cancer. Over this time BCC has spent over £10.4 million on research and is currently funding 51 projects at universities, teaching hospitals and research institutes throughout the UK.
BCC’s Scientific Advisory Board was established in 1998 by the then Chairman Professor William Miller to ensure that the Charity funded only top quality original research. Since then the Board has grown substantially and currently has thirteen expert members, Professor Alastair Thompson (Chair), Dr Suzanne Eccles (Deputy Chair), Dr Peter Barrett-Lee, Dr Joy Burchell, Dr Robert Clarke, Professor Douglas Easton, Professor Diana Eccles, Dr Julia Gee, Professor Andrew Hanby, Dr Penelope Hopwood, Dr Emma Pennery, Dr Ruth Warren and Miss Zoe Winters
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For more information contact:
Roddy Isles,
Head of Press
University of Dundee
Tel: 01382 384910,
Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
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