 Director
of Cancer Research Unit retires
A special celebration was held
recently at the University's Cancer Research Unit for its Director, Professor
John Double, who has retired after 39 years.
Professor
John Double (centre) celebrates his retirement with colleagues (from left)
Dr Roger Phillips, Professor Mike Bibby, Dr Paul Loadman and Dr Jason
Gill.
Friends and colleagues met
for drinks with John, who has worked tirelessly to research and improve
patient care throughout his career.
Dean of Life Sciences at the
University, Professor Barry Winn, said: "It will be a hard task to find
a replacement for John who has dedicated his career to cancer research.
He will be greatly missed at the University by both staff and students
alike."
John said: "We have worked
hard to build relationships with key partners and other organisations.
I am proud to have been part of our success and to have worked with so
many talented researchers and colleagues."
John's work began when he
carried out a placement year at the Institute of Cancer Research in London.
He later returned to study for his PhD with the late Tom Connors - founder
member and former Chairman of The Cancer Research Campaign's Phase 1/11
Clinical Trials Committee set up in 1980.
After graduation, John worked
at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London before moving to the University
of Leeds Medical School.
Six years later he moved to
Bradford and joined the late Professor Robert Turner who began chemotherapy
work in Bradford in the 1950s. Their groundbreaking research to provide
individual therapy for patients was made possible with funds raised by
Bradford businessman Arnold Moore MBE, Hon. D.Sc - founder of former Bradford
charity, 'War on Cancer' and Honorary President for Yorkshire for the
Cancer Research Campaign.
Later they moved into the
University's Clinical Oncology Unit. In 1999, a five-year investment plan
was agreed for the Unit by 'War on Cancer', who later merged with the
Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer Research UK following a further merger
with Imperial Cancer Research Fund).
The University matched the
funding for the project and the Unit was renamed the Cancer Research Unit.
An adjacent YCR Laboratory of Drug Design was built in 1990 - funded by
Yorkshire Cancer Research, with Professor Terry Jenkins as its Director.
The two separate units now
run under the umbrella title of the Tom Connors Cancer Research Centre.
As well as being appointed
Honorary Professor of Cancer Pharmacology at the University of Leeds,
John will also remain a section editor for the British Journal of Cancer
until the end of the year.
6 May
2003
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