David Kerr (professor)
Encyclopedia
Professor David Kerr CBE, MA MD DSc FRCP (Glas & Lon) FRCGP (Hon) FMedSci (born 1956, Glasgow) is a British cancer research
er. His primary area of research is treatment and management of colorectal cancer
.
He has recently resigned as the Chief Research Advisor, Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar. Kerr is no longer Director, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute; His role as a Member of Supreme Council of Health, Qatar has been allocated to Lord Darzi.
Kerr is Professor of Cancer Medicine and former Fellow of Corpus Christi College
, University of Oxford
. He is also President-Elect for European Society of Medical Oncology (2009).
Kerr’s clinical research
into adjuvant therapy of early stage colorectal cancer has contributed to saving thousands of lives over the past two decades.
, Maryhill and Eastwood High Secondary School
. He studied medicine and biochemistry at the University of Glasgow
, graduating in 1980.
Kerr knew from relatively early age that he wanted to be a doctor having read A. J. Cronin
’s The Citadel
as a child. He then went on to study medicine at Glasgow University
and subsequently to become a cancer researcher combining laboratory studies with care of cancer patients. "The more differences we can see between the genetics of the normal and cancer cell
, the more tools we can use against the cancer", he says.
He undertook medical oncology
training at the Department of Medical Oncology at the University of Glasgow where he worked with Professor S Kaye from April 1984 to February 1992.
and Director of Clinical Trials Unit where he and Professor Alan Rickinson built the Institute of Cancer Studies at the University.
In 1994, he became the Clinical Director of the Regional Cancer Task Force for the West Midlands
where he developed the model for cancer services in the region which involve in writing a Cancer Plan - The “hub and spoke” Network model
was developed to include four key elements:
He undertook the first national audit of cancer waiting times for Sir Kenneth Calman
, who was then Chief Medical Officer which was one of the drivers which led to the Government creating a National Cancer Plan.
In 2001, he was appointed Rhodes Professor of Clinical Pharmacology
and Cancer Therapeutics and Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Oxford
. At the same time he was also asked by the Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn
to undertake a review of NHS research strategy into cancer. The resultant blueprint for provision of infrastructure to support clinical cancer research in the UK led to the establishment of the NHS Cancer Research Network (NCRN) and the National Translational Cancer Research Network (NTRAC). Kerr was subsequently appointed the Director of NTRAC.
He subsequently worked with colleagues to build an Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cancer Treatment Centre in Oxford.
In 2004, Kerr was invited by Scotland’s First Minister
to chair the work of a National Framework Advisory Group to consider the future shape of the NHS in Scotland. This Group produced three volumes of work, “Building a Health Service
Fit for the Future” (Vol I and II) and a web-based
data link
showing the Reports from the individual action teams. This has been adopted as the blueprint for Scotland’s NHS over the next 20 years.
In 2009, David Kerr took a leave of absence
from Oxford University to become the Chief Research Advisor at the Sidra Medical and Research Center. In April 2009, he became a Member of the Supreme Council of Health. He is no longer working for Sidra having moved back to the UK
Kerr has made a substantial contribution to cancer care and research in Europe. He co-chaired the Anglo-French Scientific committee celebrating the centenary of the Entente-Cordiale (2004) after the Queen and President Chirac
nominated cancer research as their joint theme. He has established the first Network of India’s top cancer centres, turning it into an internationally recognised trials network and has trained many young Indian oncologists.
He has brought worldwide attention to the looming epidemic of cancer which will claim the lives of more than a million Africans every year. He organised the first ever African Cancer Reform convention in London (2007). This was attended by 27 African Health ministries, led to the London Declaration calling for immediate action to develop cancer control plans for these nations. Subsequently Kerr was asked by African ministers to lead a new organisation, AfrOx to aid national cancer planning in Africa. AfrOx has already received unprecedented international support (WHO, IAEA) and is seen as a beacon to establish cancer care in Africa. He has completed a National Cancer Plan for Ghana, has been invited by the governments of Rwanda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone
to lead their cancer plan activities, has initiated a mass vaccination programme for cervical cancer
, the commonest cancer affecting African women, and is coordinating the International Oncology Association’s engagement in this field.
Kerr spoke at the New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy event and blogged on the Guardian about it.
ed journals. His primary areas of research are: Colorectal Cancer and Gene Therapy
. He has been awarded several patents which have fuelled in spin out biotech companies – Cobra Therapeutics and Celleron.
He sits on a number of general editorial boards including Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology journal.
Cancer research
Cancer research is basic research into cancer in order to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatments and cure....
er. His primary area of research is treatment and management of colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
.
He has recently resigned as the Chief Research Advisor, Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar. Kerr is no longer Director, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute; His role as a Member of Supreme Council of Health, Qatar has been allocated to Lord Darzi.
Kerr is Professor of Cancer Medicine and former Fellow of Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He is also President-Elect for European Society of Medical Oncology (2009).
Kerr’s clinical research
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
into adjuvant therapy of early stage colorectal cancer has contributed to saving thousands of lives over the past two decades.
Early life and education
Kerr was born in Glasgow in 1956. He attended Dunard Street Primary SchoolPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, Maryhill and Eastwood High Secondary School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He studied medicine and biochemistry at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, graduating in 1980.
Kerr knew from relatively early age that he wanted to be a doctor having read A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin
Archibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
’s The Citadel
The Citadel (novel)
The Citadel is a novel by A. J. Cronin, first published in 1937, which was groundbreaking with its treatment of the contentious theme of medical ethics. It is credited with laying the foundation in Great Britain for the introduction of the NHS a decade later...
as a child. He then went on to study medicine at Glasgow University
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and subsequently to become a cancer researcher combining laboratory studies with care of cancer patients. "The more differences we can see between the genetics of the normal and cancer cell
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, the more tools we can use against the cancer", he says.
He undertook medical oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
training at the Department of Medical Oncology at the University of Glasgow where he worked with Professor S Kaye from April 1984 to February 1992.
Career
From March 1992, Kerr was Professor of Clinical Oncology at University of BirminghamUniversity of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
and Director of Clinical Trials Unit where he and Professor Alan Rickinson built the Institute of Cancer Studies at the University.
In 1994, he became the Clinical Director of the Regional Cancer Task Force for the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
where he developed the model for cancer services in the region which involve in writing a Cancer Plan - The “hub and spoke” Network model
Network model
The network model is a database model conceived as a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships. Its distinguishing feature is that the schema, viewed as a graph in which object types are nodes and relationship types are arcs, is not restricted to being a hierarchy or lattice.The...
was developed to include four key elements:
- Site specialisation by cancer surgeons and oncologists
- Multidisciplinary working
- Development of regional treatment guidelines (often precursor of national guidelines)
- Use of IT as a social glue to bind the Network together.
He undertook the first national audit of cancer waiting times for Sir Kenneth Calman
Kenneth Calman
Sir Kenneth Charles Calman, KCB, DL, FRSE is a Scottish cancer researcher and former Chief Medical Officer of Scotland, and then England. He was Warden and Vice-Chancellor of Durham University from 1998 to 2006, before becoming Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He has held the position of...
, who was then Chief Medical Officer which was one of the drivers which led to the Government creating a National Cancer Plan.
In 2001, he was appointed Rhodes Professor of Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology is the science of drugs and their clinical use. It is underpinned by the basic science of pharmacology, with added focus on the application of pharmacological principles and methods in the real world...
and Cancer Therapeutics and Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. At the same time he was also asked by the Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn
Alan Milburn
Alan Milburn is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 until 2010...
to undertake a review of NHS research strategy into cancer. The resultant blueprint for provision of infrastructure to support clinical cancer research in the UK led to the establishment of the NHS Cancer Research Network (NCRN) and the National Translational Cancer Research Network (NTRAC). Kerr was subsequently appointed the Director of NTRAC.
He subsequently worked with colleagues to build an Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cancer Treatment Centre in Oxford.
In 2004, Kerr was invited by Scotland’s First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
to chair the work of a National Framework Advisory Group to consider the future shape of the NHS in Scotland. This Group produced three volumes of work, “Building a Health Service
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
Fit for the Future” (Vol I and II) and a web-based
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
data link
Data link
In telecommunication a data link is the means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving information. It can also refer to a set of electronics assemblies, consisting of a transmitter and a receiver and the interconnecting data telecommunication circuit...
showing the Reports from the individual action teams. This has been adopted as the blueprint for Scotland’s NHS over the next 20 years.
In 2009, David Kerr took a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
from Oxford University to become the Chief Research Advisor at the Sidra Medical and Research Center. In April 2009, he became a Member of the Supreme Council of Health. He is no longer working for Sidra having moved back to the UK
Kerr has made a substantial contribution to cancer care and research in Europe. He co-chaired the Anglo-French Scientific committee celebrating the centenary of the Entente-Cordiale (2004) after the Queen and President Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
nominated cancer research as their joint theme. He has established the first Network of India’s top cancer centres, turning it into an internationally recognised trials network and has trained many young Indian oncologists.
He has brought worldwide attention to the looming epidemic of cancer which will claim the lives of more than a million Africans every year. He organised the first ever African Cancer Reform convention in London (2007). This was attended by 27 African Health ministries, led to the London Declaration calling for immediate action to develop cancer control plans for these nations. Subsequently Kerr was asked by African ministers to lead a new organisation, AfrOx to aid national cancer planning in Africa. AfrOx has already received unprecedented international support (WHO, IAEA) and is seen as a beacon to establish cancer care in Africa. He has completed a National Cancer Plan for Ghana, has been invited by the governments of Rwanda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to lead their cancer plan activities, has initiated a mass vaccination programme for cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
, the commonest cancer affecting African women, and is coordinating the International Oncology Association’s engagement in this field.
Kerr spoke at the New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy event and blogged on the Guardian about it.
Published works
Kerr has published over 350 papers in peer reviewPeer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
ed journals. His primary areas of research are: Colorectal Cancer and Gene Therapy
Gene therapy
Gene therapy is the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual's cells and biological tissues to treat disease. It is a technique for correcting defective genes that are responsible for disease development...
. He has been awarded several patents which have fuelled in spin out biotech companies – Cobra Therapeutics and Celleron.
He sits on a number of general editorial boards including Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology journal.
Awards
- 1987: European School of Oncology International Award for outstanding contribution to chemotherapy research
- 1995: Fellow of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow
- 1996: Fellow of Royal College of Physicians, London
- 1999: 2nd International Prize for Excellence in the field of Colorectal Cancer Research and Treatment – Awarded by International Drug Development Centre and European Association for Research into Gastrointestinal Cancer
- 2000: Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
- 2000: NHS Nye BevanAneurin BevanAneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
Award for Innovation - 2002: Appointed Commander of the British Empire
- 2006: European Society of Medical Oncology Award for distinguished contribution to Cancer therapy and research in Europe
- 2006: Distinguished Medieval Lecture, University of Manchester
- 2007: Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners
- 2007: Fulton Lecture, University of Glasgow
- 2008: Bruce Cain Memorial Lecture, Cancer Societies of Australia and New Zealand