What did you do before starting your DPhil?
I trained as a medical doctor in Greece and completed part of my oncology training there. I always knew I wanted to combine caring for patients with research, so alongside my clinical work I completed two master’s degrees in Medical Research Methodology and Precision Cancer Medicine. To gain hands-on experience in clinical research, I moved to Oxford for a fellowship in early-phase cancer trials, where I spent three years working directly on experimental clinical studies before starting my DPhil.
Why did you want to work in Cancer Research?
I was drawn to a field where the stakes are high and the impact on individuals and their families substantial. I am a curious person and enjoy solving problems – combining this with the privilege of caring for patients at a critical time in their lives, I knew that working in cancer was the right fit for me.
My patients have been, and continue to be, my main source of inspiration. Caring for them made me increasingly aware of how many decisions in oncology are made in the face of uncertainty, and how often patients ask questions that we cannot yet fully answer. Seeing the gap between what we currently know and what we would like to be able to offer our patients was a strong motivation for me and naturally led me towards cancer research.
What attracted you to the DPhil in Cancer Science with Oxford Cancer?
I had followed the work of researchers who had completed this programme and was impressed by the quality and impact of the research they went on to undertake. While the translational focus of the programme, particularly in areas such as immuno-oncology and cancer big data, was a key draw for me, the overall values, research culture and leadership vision also stood out and factored strongly into my decision to pursue doctoral studies with Oxford Cancer.
The centre supports my work in very practical and meaningful ways, from funding and grant opportunities, which allow me to focus on the science, to providing the infrastructure that makes translational research possible. For example, Oxford Cancer’s Sample Collection services provide the governance, technical expertise and support needed to work responsibly with high-quality patient material, which is essential for the type of research I do.
Tell us about your DPhil Project.
My DPhil focuses on understanding how abnormal cell division in aggressive cancers leads to specific genetic changes, and how these influence the way the immune system recognises and responds to tumour cells. I work with patient-derived samples and integrate immunogenomic and computational approaches to explore how these changes affect responses to treatment, and how this knowledge could be used to target these cancers more effectively. I’m supported by a strong supervisory team led by Associate Professor Eileen Parkes, and I’m based at the Oxford Centre for Immuno-Oncology. It’s a diverse, welcoming and very collaborative environment, and many of the most exciting aspects of my work have grown through collaborations within the centre.
What do you think are the potential implications of this work for patients?
In our lab, this is the one question we constantly ask ourselves. My hope is that this research will support more accurate treatment decisions by improving our ability to predict which patients are likely to respond to particular therapies, and which are not. This could help patients and clinicians make informed decisions earlier, avoiding the loss of valuable time on ineffective treatments and reducing unnecessary exposure to drug toxicities. Ultimately, the goal is to help move cancer care towards a more personalised, genetically informed approach, which we already know can make a real difference to patient outcomes.
What do you think are the major obstacles for the cancer field to overcome in the next 10 years?
One major challenge we’re already facing, and one that will become more apparent over the next decade, is the growing number of people who are diagnosed and living with cancer. Better diagnostics and treatments have greatly improved survival, and this is an incredible success, but it also means we need to think more carefully about how we support patients over time. This links closely to the issue of equity, as advances in cancer treatments and research need to reach patients globally, not just those in well-resourced settings.
At the same time, we now generate vast amounts of data, but we still need better ways to store, share and use them responsibly, especially as AI becomes more integrated into research and clinical decision-making. If data are shared openly and ethically, this could drive innovation very quickly, but we have to be one step ahead and create strong frameworks to protect patients and rebuild public trust in science.
Find out more about the DPhil in Cancer Science on our study pages.
