Current Position: Professor of Translational Medicine

Rand Lab - Cancer Genomics, Digital and Global Health

The overall aims of my research is to understand the biology of lymphoma and other cancers in order to identify biomarkers and develop new treatment strategies to reduce treatment-related toxicity in order to improve outcome of relapsed/refractory disease. Using a combination of cutting-edge techniques we are determining the presence, frequency and structure of genetic abnormalities in childhood and adult cancers in the UK, Africa and beyond. We are investigating the clinical importance of these genetic abnormalities by correlating the genetic data with clinical information and investigating the role of these abnormalities in the cancer cell.

My drive is to improve the lives of people in the UK and beyond through skills development and driving innovation. I am open to discussing where I can support local, national and international collaborative research, training and associated bids and opportunities. 

Please contact me if you would like further information or to discuss potential collaborations and opportunities – [email protected]

Connect on LinkedIn - professorvikkirand

Key Projects and Partnerships 

Northern Health Futures: Digital Health Hub for the North East and North Cumbria (NortHFutures) (>£4M)

The EPSRC Funded Northern Health Futures (NortHFutures) hub is tackling place-based health and social inequalities through the development of community infrastructures to develop a health-tech innovation ecosystem aiming to widen participation and digital training opportunities for diverse stakeholder. Leading the engagement, networking and entrepreneurship WP5 and am part of the leadership team driving digital skills training (WP3). As part of the leadership team, I support the other WP across research, creating a supportive community and hub management(https://northfutures.org/).

Teesside Oncology ResearCH (TORCH) Partnership with Tees Valley Research Alliance at University Hospital Tees (multiple projects and infrastructure)

Teesside Oncology ResearCH (TORCH) is a collaborative partnership between Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre (NHC) and the Tees Valley Research Alliance at University Hospitals Tees. Based at the National Horizons Centre in Darlington, it focuses on improving cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in the region through research, particularly blood, ovarian, pancreatic, breast, bone, brain and head and neck cancers. The parynership aims to address high cancer incidence and mortality rates in the Tees Valley by bridging the gap between academic research and clinical application. The program works to develop and test new cancer therapies, utilising the NHC and the newly developed TORCH STRIVE research lab.

RESILIENCE: Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence (>£4M)

The project brings together leading training providers across the UK to establish RESILIENCE, a truly national Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Medicines Manufacturing skills. Through the CoE, they will work collaboratively to deliver high quality
training and outreach activities, spanning the entire careers pipeline for industry, academia and the National Health Service (NHS), sharing best practice and adopting common, state-of-the-art approaches to training delivery i.e. use of virtual and
mixed reality (VR/MR).

Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network (ATSTN) Grant (>£4M)

The Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network (ATSTN) is a UK-wide initiative funded by a £4.7 million grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and coordinated by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult). Launched to bolster the rapid growth of the cell and gene therapy sector, the network provides tailored training through digital and on-site National Training Centres to address the high demand for skilled professionals in advanced therapies and vaccine manufacturing

Darlington STEM Centre for Excellence (£21M)

A world class STEM centre to provide the ‘missing piece’, a visible and strategic focal point, as hi-tech industry grows its roots in the Tees Valley, according to the man behind the vision. The Darlington STEM Centre of Excellence will provide advanced technical vocational training, the means to train, attract and upskill a highly capable workforce demanded by employers, particularly those in AI, robotics, green energy and advanced manufacturing. A Darlington Science Park Steering Group project led by Darlington Borough Council and Darlington College. 

The Hannah Bloom Charitable Trust PhD Studentship entitled "Investigation of multi-omics approaches for early detection and therapeutic targeting of TP53 pathways in aggressive cancers"

This study aims to (i) investigate cutting-edge omics approaches to detect mutations in liquid biopsies and TP53 missense mutations in adult diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and other aggressive cancers, and (ii) evaluate the potential therapeutic impact of targeting mutant p53 associated pathway in in vitro models.

Qualifications

2004 PhD Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Cambridge/Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

1999 First Class BSc(Hons) Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford

Previous Positions

Director of the National Horizons Centre, Darlington, UK (https://www.tees.ac.uk/nhc/)

Member of Teesside University Senior Management Team

As Director of the National Horizons Centre (NHC) at Teesside University I was responsible for leading the NHC's development as a national centre of excellence for the biosciences and healthcare sectors. With research, partnerships and training at our core, the NHC brings together industry, the NHS, academia, talent and world-class facilities to create real-world impact. Working closely with our partners we put business at the forefront of innovation and train the workforce of tomorrow to address the technical and digital skills and needs of the sector. The NHC has a thriving multi-disciplinary community and has been successfully positioned as a national centre recognised in recent strategic government documents - the UK Government's Engineering Biology Vision and the UK's Life Sciences Sector Plan. 

Oct 2019-Nov 2021 Director of Research for the National Horizons Centre Darlington, UK (https://www.tees.ac.uk/nhc/) and the Centre of Biodiscovery in the School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK (https://www.tees.ac.uk/schools/shls/)

Sept 2012-Sept 2019 Bloodwise (formerly Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research) Senior Bennett Fellow and Lymphoma Genomics Group Leader, Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, UK

Sept 2010-August 2012 Lecturer in Cancer Genetics, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University

Sept 2008-August 2010 Lecturer Cancer Genetics in Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group (LRCG), Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University

Jan 2006-Aug 2008 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, University of Nottingham

Jan 2004-Dec 2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, US

Membership and external positions

Tees Valley Science and Innovation Strategic Advisory Group (SITSAG)

Darlington Science Park Steering Group

Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone Innovation Group

BioIndustrial Cluster North Steering Group

NEEDL DTP

YBDTP

Director for the UniAlliance Doctoral Training Alliance (DTA) in Applied Biosciences for Health

British Society of Haematology (BSH)

Children's Cancer & Leukaemia Group (CCLG)

Cambridge Philosophical Society

External Examiner Cancer Biology Specialist at The Royal College of Radiologists, Lincoln’s Inn Field, London

Honorary Member of The Royal College of Radiologists 

Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group Biological Studies Committee Member

External Examiner