Professor Mariam Jamal-Hanjani has been officially appointed as the new Chief Clinician at Cancer Research UK, stepping into a prominent leadership role designed to shape the charity’s clinical research strategy and spearhead national efforts to improve cancer treatment and patient care.
Operating at the forefront of oncology, Professor Jamal-Hanjani is widely recognized as an international authority on cancer genomics and metastasis. Alongside her new responsibilities with the leading charity, she serves as a Professor of Cancer Genomics and Metastasis at University College London (UCL), where her academic and clinical work focuses heavily on understanding how cancer evolves, spreads throughout the body, and develops resistance to conventional and advanced medical treatments.
Her extensive research portfolio features ground-breaking studies investigating lung cancer, providing the global scientific community with critical insights into how tumors change and mutate over time. By decoding the complex mechanisms that drive treatment failure and tumor progression, her work aims to lay the groundwork for more precise, targeted therapies. Ultimately, these scientific advancements are expected to translate into significantly better survival rates and health outcomes for patients diagnosed with some of the most challenging forms of the disease.
The appointment has been met with widespread enthusiasm from leadership figures across the medical and research sectors. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, welcomed Professor Jamal-Hanjani to the role by highlighting her exceptional track record in leading high-performing scientific teams and driving innovative clinical investigations.
Reflecting on the appointment, Michelle Mitchell stated that Professor Jamal-Hanjani brings deep experience in delivering radical new insights into how cancer changes as it grows, spreads, resists treatment, and occasionally returns. This specialized expertise is considered vital as the charity continues to fund and direct cutting-edge research aimed at intercepting cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages.
Expressing her gratitude and vision for the future, Professor Jamal-Hanjani shared her thoughts on taking up the prestigious post. She noted that Cancer Research UK has an extraordinary, proven track record of turning fundamental scientific discoveries into tangible, real-world benefits for patients. Having the opportunity to help shape and guide that vital mission, she added, is something she feels deeply privileged to undertake.
Looking ahead, Professor Jamal-Hanjani emphasized her commitment to accelerating the translation of laboratory research into improved clinical outcomes. She specifically pointed to the National Health Service (NHS) as a critical national asset, noting its unique capacity to bridge the gap between pioneering scientific discoveries and the patients who stand to benefit from them most. Strengthening this bridge is expected to remain a core priority as she works alongside researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to advance the charity’s overarching goals.
Professor Jamal-Hanjani officially commenced her tenure as Chief Clinician in October 2026. She succeeds Professor Charles Swanton, a distinguished oncologist who held the influential position with distinction since 2017, guiding the organization through a period of remarkable scientific advancement and innovation in personalized cancer medicine.