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Meet the researchers

Dr Yong-Jie Lu MBBS, MD, PhD

Senior Lecturer and Team Leader Centre for Molecular Oncology & Imaging

Dr Lu joined Bart's Centre for Medical Oncology, in June 2003, as a Senior Lecturer and recently moved to the Centre for Molecular Oncology and Imaging. He has set up a Cancer Genetics and Experimental Therapeutics research team, funded by the Orchid Cancer Appeal. Dr Lu completed his clinical and PhD training in China, before coming to the UK in 1995. He worked for seven years at The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, where he developed and established several molecular cytogenetic techniques and used them for the studies of a variety of human cancers.

With Professors Tim Oliver and Bryan Young, Dr Lu has set up a research programme of systematic genetic studies of prostate cancers and testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT). The mission of the research team is to identify, using a systematic approach, genomic alterations and genes which influence the development, progression and therapeutic response of male uro-genital tumours. These genetic alterations will be assessed as useful markers of tumour behaviour and potential targets for novel therapies. Discovering the genetic bases of drug sensitivity of TGCT may also lead to the understanding of the chemo-resistance mechanism of other human cancers.

Dr Dan Berney MA MB B Chir, FRCPath

Consultant and Honorary Reader in Genito-Urinary Pathology at St Bartholomew's and The Royal London Hospitals.

Dr Berney achieved a 1st class degree at Jesus College, Cambidge and UCL and then became a registrar at Barts and The London. He was appointed consultant Histopathologist in 1998 and developed an interest in genito-urinary malignancies both clinically and in research. This was developed by the formation of The Orchid Tissue Laboratory, funded by Orchid conducting translational research into male cancers. He was appointed honorary reader in 2007 and has published 75 peer reviewed papers. The focus of his research is prostate, penile and testicular cancers, using tissue micro-array to create high throughput arrays to examine numerous biomarkers. Dr Berney oversees the biopsy collection process and is involved in the necessary tissue identification process as well as marking areas for tissue micro-array and assessing biomarkers from the resulting arrays. Dr Berney is Chairman of the British Association of Urological Pathologists and Associate Editor of the journal Histopathology and well as being a member of the NCRN testis studies group and the correlative science group.

Dr Jonathan Shamash MBChB, MD, MRCP

Consultant in Medical Oncology, Honorary Senior Lecturer

Prior to this post, Dr Shamash completed his registrar training in medical oncology as an Imperial Cancer Research Fellow at Barts and the London NHS Trust. Dr Shamash is a specialist in the treatment of genitor-urinary cancer, blood cell cancers, lung cancer, prostate and relapsed testicular cancer.

He has been responsible for the co-ordination of undergraduate teaching within the medical oncology department and in running part of the MSc Course in cancer therapeutics. Dr Shamash is well known in his field for leading national clinical trials for the improved treatment of prostate and testicular cancer. In addition to testicular cancer research, Dr Shamash is leading a study looking at the use of Oestrogens and steroids as part of a strategy to manage advanced castration resistant prostate cancer as well as a study using Melphalan and whole blood stem cell re-infusion for fit patients with castration resistant prostate cancer. In testicular cancer his focus of research has been in relapsed disease with the development of novel protocols including those using high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.  

Dr Shamash is a member of the NCRN testis studies group. He is also a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Association of Cancer Physicians.  

Dr Thomas Powles MBBS, MD, MRCP

MRC Senior Clinical Fellow

Senior Lecturer in Urology Cancer and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology
Prior to this post, Dr Powles trained in Medical Oncology at the Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospital. Between 2000 and 2003 he investigated mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance at the Institute of Cancer, which was the basis of his MD thesis. In addition to chemotherapy resistance, his other research interests have included the role of the immune system in the development of resistance to therapy and identification of patient groups who benefit from specific treatments.

Since his appointment at Barts he has focused his research on the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in urology cancers. Clinical Trials Awards and Advisory Committee-approved National Cancer Research Network Clinical studies with lapatinib, sunitinib and axitinib are underway.
Dr Powles Pre-clinical group focuses on Src inhibition in renal cancer and HER-1 to 4 in bladder cancer.

Much of Dr Powles' work focuses on comparing sequential cancer tissue before and after sunitinib therapy. It is hoped that this work will give us insight into the mechanisms of resistance to these drugs, and which patients benefit from them. He is collaborating with Memorial Sloane Kettering investigating specific proteins associated with response and resistance to chemotherapy for testis cancer.

Dr Powles is involved in a number of research groups in urology cancer including the National Cancer Research Network, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, European Society of Medical Oncology and the Transatlantic Bladder Cancer  Consortium.