Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Medicine
Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology
Professor / Clinical Professor in Immunology / Immunotherapy for Cancer
We are seeking the appointment of a leading scientific/translational or clinical researcher in the field of
immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer. Opportunities to collaborate and develop a portfolio in
other areas of immunology particularly in musculoskeletal disease will exist. We anticipate that the successful
appointee will establish and win programme funding for a research team in this area. For the appropriate
candidate more senior opportunities as Head of Section, Institute or strategic roles within the University are
available for consideration. It is anticipated that this post, together with ongoing other initiatives, will be part
of an internationally leading centre for immunotherapy and immunology research in cancer and possibly other
topics.
There are particular opportunities in relation to research relating to
I.
Our Cancer Research UK Centre (Lead, Reuben Tooze) themes and Experimental Cancer Medicine
Centre (Lead, Christopher Twelves) activities.
II.
Collaborations with existing strengths in the Faculties of Medicine (Dean, Paul Stewart) and Biological
Sciences (Dean, John Ladbury).
In Leeds we especially seek to establish inter-Faculty collaborations between the Faculty of Medicine and
Health, the Faculty of Biological Sciences which has a broad range of fundamental biology and basic virology,
the Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences which has a full range of chemical biology and medicinal
chemistry as well as mathematical applications to biology, and the Faculty of Engineering which especially
emphasises bioengineering and applications of mechanical and electronic engineering to health.
For professorial appointments salary, which is negotiable, will be within the University Professorial
range, minimum £60,512 p.a.
For clinical professorial appointments salary will be on the New Consultant Contract (£75,249 £101,451 p.a.) depending upon seniority within the consultant contract.
Do you have an established, international-quality translational research programme in any aspect of
immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer research?
Would you like the opportunity to lead and shape immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer in
Leeds?
If so we would love to hear from you. Please contact:
Professor Tim Bishop, Director Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology; d.t.bishop@leeds.ac.uk
Professor Peter Selby, Professor of Cancer Medicine; p.j.selby@leeds.ac.uk
If you have any specific enquiries about your online application please contact Sue Curry, email
s.e.curry@adm.leeds.ac.uk tel +44(0)113 343 1845
Job Ref: MHCAP1051 Closing date: 13 March 2016
Our Ambition
The University of Leeds is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 universities in the QS World rankings and is
one of the UK’s largest and foremost research-intensive universities. We pride ourselves on our distinctive
ability to integrate research, scholarship and education, and we have ambitious plans to improve further our
standing as a world-class academic institution. The results of the recent Research Excellence Framework
(REF) saw Leeds ranked in 10th place for research power, with the assessment identifying over 80% of our
research activity as top quality at either “world leading” or “internationally excellent” standing.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health (FMH) at Leeds is the largest Faculty within the University with over £135
million annual turnover, equating to 25% of the University total. Our Faculty generates around £70 million in
annual research income and we are proud of our strong teaching partnerships including with Leeds Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust (one of the largest NHS trusts in the country).
We have an ambitious agenda to increase and strengthen existing research talent within the Faculty of
Medicine and Health and across the University of Leeds more widely, and are seeking highly talented
individuals to join us and make a major contribution towards the realisation of this ambitious plan.
Immunology and Immunotherapy for Cancer in Leeds
Leeds has established a strong tradition of immunotherapy for cancer and immunology research. Professor
Alan Melcher, Professor Peter Selby and Professor Richard Vile (main base the Mayo Clinic) hold programme
research grants in this area. Biological and immunotherapies have been themes in a series of Cancer
Research UK Centre awards. The use of viruses as vectors for vaccines and as oncolytic stimulators of an
immune response has been central to the programmes. The work has resulted in a series of papers in Nature
Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, Science Translational Medicine and other leading journals.
There is a well organised and fully functional clinical and translational activity which has resulted in the
delivery of phase I, II and III clinical trials in immunological and biological therapy using vaccines, cytokines
and most recently virologically mediated treatments. Infrastructure for delivering translational immunotherapy
research is established in the laboratory and the clinic.
A Professor of Immunology has recently been appointed through promotion and several early career
researchers have been appointed to tenure track positions in the field of immunology with a particular interest
in cancer. In addition to these new appointments senior staff with an interest in immunotherapy include a
clinical Professor, a non-clinical Reader, a clinical Associate Professor, an Associate Professor in Virology,
and several Senior Research Fellows. Haematological pathology and haematological oncology have a
significant interest in immunological topics. Senior scientific appointments in this area are ongoing. There
are large clinical practices making use of current immunological approaches to cancer therapeutics. The
discovery and validation of biomarkers relevant to immunological therapy is supported by programme
funding.
A floor of the recently constructed and comprehensively equipped Wellcome Trust Brenner Building is
committed to research which is principally focused on immunological and viral therapies for cancer.
Laboratory space and office space and appropriate support will be available to the applicant.
The role
We are seeking the appointment of a leading scientific/translational or clinical researcher in the field of
immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer. Opportunities to collaborate and develop a portfolio in
other areas of immunology particularly in musculoskeletal disease will exist. We anticipate that the successful
appointee will establish and win programme funding for a research team in this area. For the appropriate
candidate more senior opportunities as Head of Section, Institute or strategic roles within the University are
available for consideration. It is anticipated that this post, together with ongoing other initiatives, will be part
of an internationally leading centre for immunotherapy and immunology research in cancer and possibly other
topics.
There are particular opportunities in relation to research relating to
III.
Our Cancer Research UK Centre (Lead, Reuben Tooze) themes and Experimental Cancer Medicine
Centre (Lead, Christopher Twelves) activities.
IV.
Collaborations with existing strengths in the Faculties of Medicine (Dean, Paul Stewart) and Biological
Sciences (Dean, John Ladbury).
In Leeds we especially seek to establish inter-Faculty collaborations between the Faculty of Medicine and
Health, the Faculty of Biological Sciences which has a broad range of fundamental biology and basic virology,
the Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences which has a full range of chemical biology and medicinal
chemistry as well as mathematical applications to biology, and the Faculty of Engineering which especially
emphasises bioengineering and applications of mechanical and electronic engineering to health.
The post holder will:

Deliver top quality research outputs that contributes to impact and innovation

Take on a significant leadership role in the organisation in education and/or research

Deliver research-led education that contributes to an exceptional student experience
Potential
There is huge potential for you to:

Build a unique scientific/translational and/or clinical research programme harnessing the existing
strengths of immunotherapy and immunology in Leeds.

Raise immunology and immunotherapy research in Leeds to the level of a leading national and
international centre.

Support and develop scientific/translational/clinical researchers in this area to achieve a sustainable
research base.
The Successful Candidate
You will have ambition and vision for developing academic success, delivering academic excellence and a
plan for financial sustainability. You will be responsible for developing a vision for a research intensive
practice that will place the academic and clinical services at the forefront internationally; working
collaboratively to pursue a significant world-renowned portfolio of research. You will also contribute to
University and Trust initiatives for major infrastructure and programmatic funding including NIHR, Cancer
Research UK and MRC Centre bids.
You will have an international reputation in immunotherapy and immunology research in cancer and a
significant record of administrative and teaching skills and experience of leading multi-professional research
at internationally excellent standards, as well as effective leadership and change management skills.
The Clinical Component (if relevant)
For clinical candidates the role will include an honorary consultant contract with Leeds Teaching Hospitals
NHS Trust, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe serving a diverse population with state of the art
facilities at the new Leeds Cancer Centre.
The Trust has many accolades which include it being a regional and national centre for specialist treatment,
a world renowned biomedical research facility, a leading clinical trials research unit and also the local hospital
for the Leeds community. We are a Cancer Research UK/NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre and
host an NIHR Clinical Research Facility. This means the Trust has access to some of the country’s leading
clinical expertise and the most advanced medical technology in the world.
Each year the trust spends a budget of around £1 billion, providing local and specialist services for an
immediate population of 780,000 and regional specialist care for up to 5.4 million people.
LTHT is one of the largest providers of research opportunities to patients in the country. It receives around
£20 million funding for research and involves more than 12,000 patients in clinical research each year. This
means that patients benefit from some of the most cutting edge and innovative medical procedures in the
world.
The clinical component of the role will be determined by the successful applicant’s area of clinical expertise,
in negotiation and agreement with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Salary
For professorial appointments salary, which is negotiable, will be within the University Professorial range,
minimum £60,512 p.a.
For clinical professorial appointments salary will be on the New Consultant Contract (£75,249 - £101,451
p.a.) depending upon seniority within the consultant contract.
Enquiries
Do you have an established, international-quality translational research programme in any aspect of
immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer research?
Would you like the opportunity to lead and shape immunotherapy and immunology related to cancer in
Leeds?
If so we would love to hear from you. Please contact:
Professor Tim Bishop, Director Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology; d.t.bishop@leeds.ac.uk
Professor Peter Selby, Professor of Cancer Medicine; p.j.selby@leeds.ac.uk
Job Ref: MHCAP1051 Closing date: 13 March 2016