Research advisory group

Professor Guy Pratt, Chair

Professor Pratt joined the Research Advisory Group in 2020 and became Chair in 2026.

Professor Pratt is a Consultant Haematologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Professor of Haematology at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, with a key interest in T cell immunity, genetic polymorphisms, and biomarker identification. He also serves as Deputy Director of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, where he leads on haematology trials. In addition to his clinical and academic roles, Professor Pratt engages in several professional organisations, actings as Secretary for the British Society for Haematology, a Trustee for the charity Cure Leukaemia, and a member of the UK Myeloma Society.

Mr Solomon Alexis, Lived Experience

Mr Alexis joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Mr Alexis is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Digital Technologies at the University of East London, with expertise in information systems engineering. He also serves as Head of Collaborative Provisions within the University’s School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, overseeing educational partnerships and provision management. In addition, he Chairs the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, leading initiatives to promote equity, eliminate bias, and foster an inclusive academic environment.

Alongside his academic leadership roles, Mr Alexis has worked closely with the Myeloma UK Patient and Carer Research Panel and Myeloma Patients Europe, contributing to the review of clinical trial protocols, patient information and consent documents, and research funding applications.

Dr John Ashcroft, Professional Member

John joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Dr Ashcroft is a Consultant Haematologist and Research Director at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, with extensive expertise in myeloma care and clinical research. He is Co-Director of the Commercial Research Delivery Centre for Bradford and West Yorkshire and is a Fellow of the UK College of Myeloma. In addition to these roles, Dr Ashcroft holds several senior leadership positions, including President of the British Society for Haematology, Treasurer of the Royal College of Pathologists, and Treasurer of the UK Myeloma Society.

Mr Alex Blewer, Early Career Researcher

Alex joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Mr Blewer is a Clinical Research Assistant in Haematology at University Hospitals Birmingham, gaining insights into blood cancers and haematological disorders. With a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, Alex has previously worked as a Clinical Research Scientist on clinical trials and represented University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust at various meetings including Investigator Meetings and the Post American Society of Haematology (ASH) Significant Highlights meeting.

Mr Tommy Brown, Professional Member

Mr Brown joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Mr Brown is a Clinical Nurse Researcher and Lead Research Nurse at the Haemato-oncology Unit of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London. His research focuses on ensuring that patient perspectives and experiences are embedded throughout the design and delivery of clinical trials. Mr Brown is actively involved in the development and delivery of several clinical trials.

Professor Chris Bunce, Professional Member

Professor Bunce joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Professor Bunce is Professor of Translational Cancer Biology and Director of Research within the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on repurposing existing drugs for the treatment of blood cancers and investigating the biological mechanisms underlying progression from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to myeloma. He also leads the international research programme “An Interdisciplinary Approach to Preventing Myeloma” which brings together experts from multiple disciplines to explore strategies for myeloma prevention.

Professor David Cairns, Professional Member

Professor Cairns is a statistician with over 20 years of expertise in biomedical research, including clinical trials, biomarker discovery and validation, and applied health research. He is currently a Professor of Clinical Trials Research at the Clinical Trials Research Unit within the Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, and serves as the lead statistician for several late-phase myeloma clinical trials. Professor Cairns is the Deputy Director of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit and has been actively involved in numerous committees and panels, including the National Cancer Research Institute, the UK Myeloma Research Alliance, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. He has also contributed as a statistical reviewer and panel member for several international organisations such as The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Mr Alan Chant, Lived Experience

Alan joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Mr Chant was diagnosed with myeloma in 2011. He has had an extensive 40-year business career as Marketing Director for five companies, which included commissioning qualitative and quantitative consumer research during that time. He has represented patients on multiple advisory/development groups, including Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence funding bodies and Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. In addition, Mr Chant has been on the board of Trustees for the National Cancer Research Institute, Oxford University Hospitals Charity, and Myeloma UK, where he also sat at the Myeloma UK Research, Clinical and Advocacy sub-committee. He is currently the PPI Lead and Chair of the Patient Advisory Board on the RADAR (Myeloma XV) trial and a patient representative on the FiTNEss (Myeloma XIV) trial, a patient member on the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Board and is a member of an international panel considering applications for secondary use of clinical trial data.

Dr Selina Chavda, Professional Member

Selina joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Dr Chavda is a Consultant Haematologist at University College London Hospitals, specialising in multiple myeloma and early-phase clinical trials. She completed a Clinical Research Training PhD Fellowship in the laboratory of Professor Kwee Yong investigating proteasome inhibitor resistance in myeloma. Dr Chavda is the current Early Career Researcher Trainee Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the National Cancer Research Institute and is joint postgraduate medical education lead for haematology at University College London Hospitals. She has also held committee roles at the British Society of Haematology and the Royal College of Physicians.

Dr Lisa Crawford, Professional Member

Lisa joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Dr Crawford is a Senior Lecturer in blood cancers at Queens University Belfast and leads a research team focussed on understanding protein homeostasis pathways, proteasome inhibitor resistance mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions in myeloma. She serves as Chair of the Blood Cancer Research Group and is Associate Director for Postgraduate Research at Queens University Belfast. Dr Crawford also sits on a panel providing internal review of research outputs for the UK Research and Innovation 2029 Research Excellence Framework and is an Editorial Board Member for the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports.

Dr Nick Crump, Early Career Researcher

Nick joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Dr Crump is a non-clinical lecturer at the Hugh and Josseline Langmuir Centre for Myeloma Research, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London. He also holds a Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Intermediate Fellowship and has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the contribution of epigenetic factors in driving myeloma biology, with a key focus on the epigenetic mechanisms of drug resistance in multiple myeloma. Dr Crump sits on the Executive Committee for the Department of Immunology and Inflammation, the Scientific Board of the Langmuir Centre for Myeloma, as well as heading the Haematology Centre’s Sustainability Committee, and was a previous member of the teaching committees for the Department of Biochemistry and Worcester College, Oxford.

Professor Claire Edwards, Professional Member

Professor Edwards joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Professor Edwards is Professor of Bone Oncology at the University of Oxford, where her research focuses on understanding how the bone microenvironment supports tumour growth and survival in myeloma. She also holds key leadership roles within the University, serving as Director of the Medical Sciences Division Graduate School and Director of the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre.

Dr Sarah Gooding, Professional Member

Dr Gooding joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Dr Gooding is a Clinician Scientist at the University of Oxford and Consultant Haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Supported by a Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship, her research focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that drive high-risk myeloma. In addition to her research and clinical roles, Dr Gooding serves as Translational Lead for the UK Myeloma Research Alliance and Science Forum Lead for the UK Myeloma Society.

Dr Charlotte Hellmich, Professional Member

Dr Hellmich joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Dr Hellmich is a Haematology Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of East Anglia and a Consultant Haematologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Her research focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that drive progression from MGUS to myeloma, while also supporting the delivery of a range of clinical trials. Dr Hellmich is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.

Associate Professor Lydia Lee, Professional Member

Dr Lee joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Dr Lee is a Clinician Scientist and Associate Professor in Haemato-oncology at University College London, and a Consultant Haematologist at University College London Hospitals. Her research focuses on the development and application of CAR-T cell therapies, and she has played a leading role in establishing the first CAR-T cell clinical trials for myeloma and AL amyloidosis in both the UK and Europe.

Professor Ulf Klein, Professional Member

Professor Klein joined the Research Advisory Group in 2026.

Professor Klein is Professor of Immunology and Haemato-Oncology at the University of Leeds and Head of the Molecular Haematology Group within the Leeds Institute of Medical Research. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that drive the development and progression of blood cancers, with the aim of improving diagnosis and treatment for patients.

Ms Maria Lambides, Lived Experience

Ms Lambides has over 30 years’ experience as a strategist, including leadership roles as Director at two Australian research centres specialising in choice behaviour. She has worked extensively with academics, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies, industry, and patient advocacy groups. In the UK, she has consulted with King’s Business School, mentoring junior academics on stakeholder alignment and engagement and participating on research projects.

She is active in patient advocacy, serving as a representative for the UK Myeloma Research Alliance Early Diagnosis Group, participating in the Myeloma Patients Europe Advocacy Development Programme, and contributing to Myeloma UK’s Patient and Carer Research Panel. She brings extensive experience in reviewing research grants and proposals.

Ms Joanne Sowter, Professional Member

Joanne joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Ms Sowter is a Clinical Specialist Myeloma Physiotherapist at University College London Hospital and an Honorary Clinical Fellow at University College London. She has a robust clinical and academic background, specialising in supportive care and rehabilitation for patients with myeloma. As well as contributing to the development of clinical guidelines for the UK Myeloma Society Bone Disease and Frailty Groups, Ms Sowter acts as Chair of the UK Haematology Allied Health Professional Network and is a member of the International Myeloma Exercise Working Group.

Dr Mark Williams, Professional Member

Mark joined the Research Advisory Group in 2025.

Dr Williams is a Senior Lecturer in Cancer Biology and Advanced Therapeutics at Glasgow Caledonian University. With over 15 years of expertise in researching haematological malignancies, his research focuses on determining the preclinical efficacy of novel targeted drugs and understanding the role of bone marrow immune and stromal cells in therapy resistance for myeloma and acute myeloid leukaemia. Dr Williams is an elected member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland and has held positions on the University Research Committee sub-committee and Developing Academic Researchers in Excellence steering group within Glasgow Caledonian University.