Dr. John Smyth Dr. Smyth was appointed the first Chair of Medical Oncology in Edinburgh and, over the course of 30 years, has developed multidisciplinary oncology to create the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, combining laboratory and clinical research with teaching and training, and serving a population of 2 million.  Dr. Smyth's research expertise is in experimental therapeutics, from drug design through all phases of pre-clinical evaluation and clinical trials, with his major research focus on the development and evaluation of new anti-cancer drugs.  He Chaired the Expert Advisory Group for Oncology & Haematology for the Commission on Human Medicines, and served for several years on the UK Committee on Safety of Medicines, as well as on the Scientific Advisory Group for Oncology for the European Medicines Agency (the Europe-wide regulatory body).  Dr. Smyth also has extensive experience participating in the independent monitoring of clinical trials of checkpoint inhibitor drugs.  His work has also focused on the affordability of cancer related healthcare.  

Dr. Smyth has published over 300 papers and been involved in 47 books and chapters.  He served as Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Cancer for a decade, from 2001 to 2010.  He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and London, and fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and is a past president of the European Society of Medical Oncology and the Federation of European Cancer Societies.