Newcastle adult centre

This centre is a partnership between Newcastle University and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, delivering early-phase trials in both adult and paediatric patients.

Centre overview

Our Newcastle adult experimental cancer medicine centre (ECMC) has fully compliant, dedicated early-phase trials units and clinical pharmacology facilities.

The centre’s experience includes multiple first-in-human studies, including small molecules, immunotherapy, novel antibodies and cellular therapies. This centre has experience in recruiting for various early-phase trials and coordinating pharmacokinetic studies at a national level.

There is also a paediatric centre in Newcastle.

Expertise

clinical pharmacology
stratification by tumour biology
multidisciplinary research in new drug delivery/toxicity management
training the future experimental cancer medicine workforce
early-phase trial design and delivery

Key contacts

Gareth Veal - Centre co-lead

Gareth Veal is a Professor of Cancer Pharmacology at Newcastle University and heads the Newcastle Cancer Centre Pharmacology Group. Gareth is renowned for leading clinical pharmacology studies in pan-age oncology. His research includes an award-winning drug monitoring service for children. He coordinates the Cancer Research UK-funded national programme for pharmacology studies.

Alastair Greystoke - Centre co-lead

Alastair Greystoke co-runs the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at Newcastle University. Alastair specialises in thoracic malignancies and early-phase drug development. He is Clinical Lead for Cancer at the Yorkshire, Hull and North East North England Genomic Lab Hub. He is also the joint Chief Investigator of CONCORDE and leads Newcastle’s Pharmacodynamic Biomarker team.

Chris Barron - Centre business lead

Chris Barron manages oncology research across The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, including the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre. Chris is a trained therapy radiographer and has worked in clinical research for 25 years. He is co-chair of the ECMC Trial Delivery Forum and plays an active role in the NIHR UK Commercial Costing Reference Group.

Ben Hood - Patient and public involvement lead

Ben Hood is a Cancer Research Nurse Consultant based in Newcastle and chair of the national ECMC Research Nursing steering committee. As the first Nurse Consultant to be appointed within a clinical research area in the UK, Ben completed his doctorate research in 2023 and has a specific interest in research education and patient and public involvement and engagement.

Contact details

Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre

Northern Centre for Cancer Care

Freeman Hospital

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE7 7DN

Centre email:

newcastle.ecmc@nhs.net

Programme office email:

ecmcadmin@cancer.org.uk