Professor Richard Cathomas serves as a distinguished Medical Oncologist and the Head of the Division of Oncology/Hematology at Kantonspital Graubünden in Chur, Switzerland.
Since 2005, he has been actively engaged as a local principal investigator at Kantonsspital Graubünden, leading over 60 clinical trials encompassing phases I, II, and III, with a primary focus on prostate cancer, bladder cancer, testicular cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and lung cancer. These trials range from groundbreaking first-in-human phase I studies to investigator-initiated trials, FDA registration trials, and those conducted under the auspices of the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK).
Moreover, Prof. Cathomas plays a pivotal role as both a Coordinating Investigator and a Supporting Coordinating Investigator for multiple SAKK trials, contributing significantly to the advancement of oncological research and patient care.
Professor Maria De Santis is a Medical Oncologist and has been appointed full Professor for Translational Genito-Urinary Oncology in October 2022 and Chair of Interdisciplinary Genito-Urinary Cancer Medicine at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin/University Hospital, Berlin, Germany since April 2018.
Prof. De Santis is a member of several international scientific committees, including the European Society of Medical Oncology, the European Association of Urology and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer.
She also served as a scientific committee member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology for a 3-year term.
She has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles in genitourinary cancer medicine. In addition, Prof De Santis is a panel member of the ESMO bladder cancer guidelines group and the EAU Prostate Cancer guidelines panel. Her main research interests include prostate, renal and bladder cancer.
Dr. Ignacio Durán is a Medical Oncologist with a focus on clinical and translational research as well as teaching. He currently serves as the Coordinator of the Genitourinary Oncology Program at the Medical Oncology Department of the Hospital Universitario Marques de Valdecilla in Spain.
He is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). Throughout his career, Dr. Durán has received several awards, including the ASCO Foundation Merit Award, the Novartis Young Canadian Investigator Award, and the University Health Network Outstanding Research Presentation Award.
Dr. Durán's primary research interests include genitourinary tumors and clinical drug development for cancer treatment. He has authored numerous publications across various areas of medical oncology in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Professor Syed Hussain is Professor and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. His major areas of interest are management of urological cancers, clinical trials, early drug development and translational medicine. He has set up several clinical trials from early phase to late phase studies during his career. His work on organ preservation in bladder cancer moved all the way from an early phase I study (Hussain et al Annals of Oncology 2001) to phase II efficacy study (Hussain et al BJC 2004) that led to a Cancer Research UK funded study BC2001 trial that was reported in New England Journal of Medicine (James, Hussain, Hall et al April 2012). He has served as a chief investigator of various early phase clinical trials, and translational studies. He is a chief investigator of a first in human window of opportunity study (INVEST) investigating the role of intravesical/intratumoral atezolizumab in patients with bladder cancer undergoing curative cystectomy. This is sponsored by STH and funded by Roche. He has published in high impact journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, JAMA, JAMA Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, European Urology, Annals of Oncology, Nature Communications, Clinical Cancer Research, British Journal of Cancer.
Professor Nicholas James is a Professor of Prostate and Bladder Cancer Research at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London. He is also an NIHR Senior Investigator and Deputy Dean of The Institute of Cancer Research.
His research focuses on advanced prostate cancer and bladder preservation in locally advanced diseases. Professor James is the Chief Investigator of the groundbreaking STAMPEDE trial, which has evaluated 10 different therapies for advanced prostate cancer in around 12,000 men. The trial has demonstrated that significant survival gains can be achieved by using existing treatments in new settings. STAMPEDE2, which includes 3 new comparisons, has recently started recruiting with international collaboration to complement the mainly UK-focused STAMPEDE1.
He recently chaired a 4-year Lancet Commission on Prostate Cancer. The findings were published in April and provide a 10-15 year global perspective on upcoming issues in prostate cancer. Projects based on the key findings are being established in India, Nigeria, and Brazil.
Professor Christian Kollmannsberger, a distinguished Staff Medical Oncologist at the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) Vancouver Cancer Centre and a Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada, holds esteemed leadership roles within the realm of oncology. Presently, he assumes pivotal positions as the Chair of the BC Cancer Provincial Genitourinary Tumor Group, the Head of the Genitourinary Systemic Therapy Clinical Trials Unit at BC Cancer Vancouver Centre, and the Chair of the Canadian Clinical Trials Group Testis Cancer Disease Oriented Group.
Focusing his research endeavors on deciphering treatment resistance mechanisms, spearheading innovative therapeutic strategies, and pinpointing crucial biomarkers such as miRNA-371/375 for testicular cancer, Prof. Kollmannsberger emerges as a trailblazer in propelling forward the frontiers of oncology care and research.
Professor James Larkin is a prominent Medical Oncologist specializing in melanoma and kidney cancers and holds a distinguished position as a Professor at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Fulham Road in London, United Kingdom. Professor Larkin's extensive contributions include roles such as serving on the Medical Oncology Specialist Advisory Committee for the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board and holding positions as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) National Specialty Lead for Early Phase Oncology Trials, Vice Chair of the CRUK Clinical Research Committee, and Chair of various influential cancer research groups.
His research endeavors focus on enhancing the understanding of cancer and its impacts, with a primary goal of advancing treatments, notably through targeted therapies and immunotherapies.
Professor Thomas Powles is a professor of urology cancer at the University of London (2012 onwards) and the Director of Barts Cancer Centre (2017 onwards), which is one of the UKs largest Cancer Centres with over 4000 new cancer patients per year and a CRUK Major Cancer Centre. He trained as an Oncologist at Imperial College.
Prof. Powles has had a major role in the development of biomarkers and new drug strategies in urology cancers. This includes multiple EMA and FDA approvals. He has authored 10 NEJM or Lancet publications with two first author NEJM publications and 2 first author Nature publications. He authors over 40 peer-reviewed publications per annum. He has presented plenary data at major global meetings.
Prof. Powles has led many clinical trials (including 21 randomized trials) and translational oncology projects that have appeared in the major journals. He leads both university led and pharmaceutical company sponsored work in equal balance. His current work focuses on early bladder and kidney cancer with novel adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapies and the identification of patients at risk of relapse after surgery.
Professor Fred Saad is a distinguished figure at the Université de Montréal, serving as both Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery. At the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal in Quebec, Canada, he holds the title of Director of GU Oncology. Additionally, he holds the Raymond Garneau Chair in Prostate Cancer Research and a Director of both the Clinical Research and the Molecular Oncology Research Laboratory in Prostate Cancer.
His research is focused on novel therapeutics in prostate cancer, molecular prognostic markers, and progression mechanisms. With over 40 ongoing clinical and basic research projects and more than $40 million in research grants, Professor Saad is deeply involved in the field. He is actively engaged in 15 steering committees for international clinical trials and contributes to various guideline committees.
A key figure in the realm of advanced prostate cancer, Professor Saad has significantly influenced practice through his leadership and co-authorship of pivotal clinical trials and publications over the past 25 years. Renowned globally, he has an impressive h-index of 152 and over 130,000 citations, consistently being recognized as one of the world’s most-cited scientists since 2015. In recognition of his substantial contributions, he was honored as a Knight of The National Order of Quebec, the highest distinction bestowed by the Government of Quebec.
Professor Cristina Suárez is a Medical Oncologist and Clinical Investigator at the Genitourinary, Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors, Sarcoma and Cancer of Unknown Primary Site Group, with a special focus on kidney and bladder cancer at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain.
She has served as the principal investigator and co-investigator in over 100 clinical trials, primarily in the genitourinary, brain, and sarcoma tumor areas, as well as phase I clinical trials. Prof. Suárez's research has notably contributed to the clinical development of immunotherapy within her area of expertise.
One of her primary areas of interest is biomarkers, and she has been involved in several biomarker studies. She has co-authored significant studies such as the IMMOTION 151. Another notable contribution includes the CALYPSO trial, which focuses on selecting molecular alterations in patients to improve outcomes in renal papillary tumors. Prof. Suárez has authored and co-authored over 80 articles, communications, and book chapters at both national and international levels. Her work has garnered more than 2500 citations and an H-index of 20.
Dr. Amit K. Bahl holds the position of Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Bristol Cancer Institute, University Hospitals Bristol, with a focus on breast and urological cancers. He also serves as the Research lead for uro-oncology at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, overseeing the development of the prostate brachytherapy service. Additionally, he is the head of oncology at Spire Bristol and Clinical Director at GenesisCare Bristol.
His expertise extends to diseases such as bladder cancer, breast cancer, genito-urinary cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer. Dr Amit K. Bahl offers a range of treatments including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, IMRT, proton therapy, and HDR brachytherapy, ensuring comprehensive care for his patients.
Dr Amit K. Bahl is a key figure in medical research, leading several multicentre trials and research projects in breast and prostate cancer
