LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE
Call for Expressions of Interest for membership of the Leeds Cancer
Research UK Centre Committee:
Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader
Purpose
Applications are invited from University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
staff who wish to be considered for Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader
of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre Committee.
Background
In August 2009, Cancer Research UK awarded Leeds a Cancer Research UK Centre, with
funding of £4.5M over 3 years. The Leeds centre will build on existing world leading and
internationally excellent research programmes to increase performance in cancer
research at Leeds.
Governance Structure
A Cancer Centre Committee (CCC) leads the development of the Cancer Research UK
Centre. It formally reports to the Joint Partnership Board (JPB), which is chaired jointly
by the Vice-Chancellor and the Chief Executive of LTHT and provides the highest-level
governance to collaborative initiatives between the University of Leeds and Leeds
Teaching Hospital. The CCC also reports informally to the Biomedical and Health Centre
Executive who are responsible for overseeing the integration of biomedical initiatives
across the University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.
The Committee is led by the CRUK Centre Chair, Professor Tim Bishop. The Cancer
Centre activity is delivered within four research themes (Genetic and epigenetic factors in
cancer causation and progression, Biomarkers and molecular pathology, Targeted
therapies and Early clinical trials and randomised prospective trials) and three
developmental themes, Chemical Biology, Systems Biology/ Medicine, and Radiation
Therapeutics.
Theme leaders are appointed to each of these themes and become a member of the CCC.
Each theme leader chairs a sub-committee which reports to the CCC. The governance
structure is illustrated in figure 1 below.
Committee Remit
The Cancer Centre Committee (CCC) is responsible for ensuring effective integration of
established cancer research across the University and NHS and with the wider University
and NHS research communities.
The remit of the CCC will be:
 To oversee the delivery of the strategy for Cancer Research in Leeds
 To oversee University and NHS cancer research in Leeds and appropriate external
links
 To provide excellent infrastructure for the research themes by resource allocation
from CR-UK Centre core funds and by relating these to core resource allocations
derived from the University, NHS and other funders
 To oversee allocations from Training and Development budgets
LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE
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To oversee and ensure optimal access to resources (including the sharing of
equipment and support staff) that are held within CR-UK or other funded cancer
research programmes
To take a strategic oversight of developments within the Centre providing advice
and guidance to grant applicants to CR-UK and other funders
To report formally to the JPB, and provide advice to the BHRC Executive to ensure
coordinated activities across the whole cancer and biomedical and healthcare
research communities within the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospital
Trust.
To oversee the Local Engagement and Development (LEAD) initiative
To provide strategic scientific advice in the context of the external landscape
relating to developments in cancer research
Figure 1: Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre Governance
Committee Membership
The membership of the CCC will include ex officio members, scientific members and
research theme leaders.
Ex Officio Members
 The Chairman of the Cancer Centre
 The Director of the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine
 The Joint Directors of the Biomedical and Health Research Centre
 The Cancer Centre Research Manager
 The Cancer Centre Senior Nurse
 A Senior LTHT Manager of Cancer Services
 Two lay representatives
 CR-UK representative(s)
Research Theme Leaders
Priority Themes:
 Genetic and epigentic factors
LEEDS CANCER RESEARCH UK CENTRE
 Biomarkers and molecular pathology
 Targeted therapies
 Early clinical trials and randomised prospective trials
Developmental Themes:
 Chemical biology
 Radiation therapeutics
 Systems biology/medicine
Scientific Members
Scientific Members of intentional standing are appointed to the committee to represent
each of the following scientific fields:
 Laboratory cancer research
 Translational cancer research
 Early clinical cancer trialist
 Phase III cancer trialist
 Epidemiological cancer research
 Clinical practice cancer research
The scientific members are responsible for providing strategic scientific advice in the
context of the external landscape relating to their scientific field.
Research Theme Leaders
The role of the Research Theme Leaders is:
 To develop the scientific strategy for the research theme within the context of
the Cancer Centre strategy
 To oversee allocation of resources relevant to the research theme
 To ensure the effective implementation of the research theme objectives
 To lead and promote research activity and initiatives within the research
theme
 To provide advice in the context of the external landscape relating to the
research theme
 To provide regular update reports to the CCC and other relevant stakeholders
Appointment Process
The appointment to the Radiation Therapeutics Research Theme Leader role is for three
years and will be made by an appointing panel comprising the Cancer Centre Chair,
together with representatives of the chair appointment panel.
Applicants should send CV and supporting letter to Professor Peter McWilliam, Faculty
Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Worsley Building, Clarendon
Way, LS2 9NL.
For informal enquiries please contact Professor Tim Bishop
(email D.T.Bishop@leeds.ac.uk; tel. 0113-206-4573).