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 for her pioneering contributions to medical science. Alongside her new responsibilities with Cancer Research UK, she serves as a Professor of Cancer Genomics and Metastasis at University College London (UCL). As an internationally acclaimed researcher, her scientific focus centers on understanding the complex mechanisms of how cancer evolves, spreads throughout the body, and ultimately develops resistance to various forms of treatment.
Her extensive body of work includes leading major, high-profile studies investigating lung cancer. Through this critical research, she has helped the global scientific community better understand how tumors dynamically change over time and why certain types of cancer become increasingly difficult to treat. These crucial insights are paving the way toward the development of more personalized and targeted cancer treatments, which hold the promise of delivering significantly better outcomes for patients facing challenging diagnoses.
The appointment has been warmly welcomed across the scientific and medical communities. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, praised Professor Jamal-Hanjani’s exceptional track record and her ability to lead innovative scientific teams. Expressing enthusiasm for the new leadership, Mitchell highlighted the profound depth of experience the professor brings to the organization.
"Mariam brings to Cancer Research UK deep experience of leading high-performing research teams that are delivering radical new insights into how cancer changes as it grows, spreads, resists treatment and sometimes returns," said Michelle Mitchell, acknowledging the vital impact of Professor Jamal-Hanjani’s past and ongoing work.
Reflecting on her new appointment and the responsibilities ahead, Professor Jamal-Hanjani emphasized her dedication to translating complex laboratory discoveries into tangible benefits for everyday people. She noted the profound privilege of stepping into a role that directly influences the national mission against cancer.
"Cancer Research UK has an extraordinary track record of turning scientific discovery into real-world benefit for patients, and the chance to help shape that mission is something I feel deeply privileged to take on," Professor Jamal-Hanjani stated.
Looking forward, she highlighted a strong ambition to accelerate the translation of scientific research into practical, life-saving cancer outcomes. She specifically pointed to the National Health Service (NHS) as a vital and unique national asset, emphasizing its critical role in seamlessly connecting cutting-edge scientific discoveries with the patients who need them most.
Professor Jamal-Hanjani formally assumed her new role in October 2026. In taking on the position of Chief Clinician, she succeeds Professor Charles Swanton, a distinguished oncologist who held the influential post since 2017 and guided the charity through significant developments in clinical research during his tenure.