Professor Ian Judson

Ian Judson, MD

Prof. Ian Judson Professor Ian Judson trained at Cambridge University and King’s College Hospital Medical School. Having done a research degree at The Institute of Cancer Research, he trained in Medical Oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital and was appointed Senior Lecturer in 1989. His research initially focused on the development of new anticancer drugs, including both laboratory research and Phase I clinical trials.

With the advent of molecularly targeted agents it became clear that pharmacodynamic biomarker studies, including functional imaging, were vital elements of the evaluation of new anticancer agents, and many trials have since emphasised the need to validate such endpoints, including studies of angiogenesis and HSP90 inhibitors. In addition to new drug development, Prof Judson has specialised in the management of sarcomas for the past 20 years and has made a particular study of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). He was a principal investigator in the phase I/II trial of imatinib for GIST in 2000/1 and has been actively involved in research into the treatment of this disease since that time.

Many potential new targets for the treatment of sarcomas have been identified in recent years, and the Royal Marsden has played an important role in a number of studies testing novel agents. Prof Judson is chief investigator for many national and international sarcoma trials and has held the positions of Chairman of the NCRI Sarcoma Clinical Studies Group, Chairman of the EORTC Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group and President of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society. He is currently President of the British Sarcoma Group and Head of the Royal Marsden Hospital Sarcoma Unit. The Royal Marsden Hospital has one of the largest sarcoma units in Europe and an important programme of clinical and translational research in this field.

Professor Judson joined the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative's Medical Advisory and Editorial Board in December 2011.