Dr Susan Richman

Profile

My current post involves overseeing the day-to-day running of several colorectal cancer molecular pathological translational studies, associated with various clinical trials (FOCUS, FOCUS2, FOCUS3, FOCUS4, PICCOLO and FOxTROT). The aims of these studies include (i) identifying markers predictive of response to differing chemotherapy regimens (ii) identifying markers predictive of chemotherapy-induced toxicity. I have been involved in the set-up, evaluation, validation and quality control of molecular assays used in all analyses. This work complements the large YCR programme grant, within the department. I am also the funded Senior Research Fellow on the MRC S-CORT consortium programme. This entails overseeing sample processing and delivery to various UK laboratories for assaying, as part of all four Workstreams. I have worked closely with the management team to create SOPs and aided database construction, in order to track samples across the UK. Furthermore, I will be leading on the immunohistochemistry work-up and delivery of a panel of markers.

PhD in Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, Jan. 1996 – Dec. 1999 “Protein-Protein Interactions within the 2-Oxoacid Dehydrogenase Complexes”

MSc in Medical Sciences, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Oct. 1994 – Dec. 1995 - “The Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) Locus in Human Breast Cancer”

BSc(Hons)2:1 in Medical Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, Oct. 1990-June 1994

I am an S-CORT Consortium Management Group (CMG) member and funded Senior Research Fellow. I also oversee the day-to-day biomarker work carried out in Leeds.

I am the Co-Programme Lead for the University of Leeds MRes Medicine course.

I sit on the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee.

I am a member of the NCRI Anorectal CSG subgroup.

On steering committee of newly formed NCRI CT-PAG (Clinical Trials Pathology Advisory Group).

I am currently a member of workstream 3 (Discovery workstream) of the NCRI CM-Path initiative, which has been set up to improve Pathological input into Clinical Trials.

I am a Trial Management Group (TMG) member for the FOCUS4, PICCOLO and FOCUS3 Colorectal cancer clinical trials. I have taken part in twice-monthly teleconferences and meetings, and reviewed applications for the use of clinical trial material in external research collaborations.

I lead on FOCUS4 biomarker work-up, including successful implementation of the pTEN and H3K36me3 IHC. I currently oversee the day-to-day prospective biomarker assay work.

I have passed the Whitehall Training web-based GCLP examination: (certificate number 002992605, valid from 22/04/2016-22/04/2018).

I have been a UKNEQAS EQA Assessor for the Colorectal Cancer External Quality Assessment Scheme since 2011. http://www.ukneqas-molgen.org.uk/

I have been a member of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 2013, and have attended and presented research at the Annual meetings since 2009.

I am a Research Governance Committee member for ‘Tissue Solutions’, (Kelvin Campus, Maryhill Rd, Glasgow G20 0SP).  My role involves reviewing applications to obtain clinical samples for research. Approximately one application is reviewed per month. https://www.tissue-solutions.com/

I am a member of the University of Leeds Medical School ESREP Course management team (CMT), as the lead on laboratory projects. The team is responsible for academic quality standards in the delivery of learning and teaching provision, through the provision of an annual AQST report, and monitoring of action planning.

I am currently involved in several external collaborations, including those with Roche and Ventana, in addition to several within the University

I was a member of the steering committee of the ECMC Junior Investigator Network Group (JING) from 2013-2015. The remit of the group is to (1) establish a peer network of junior investigators from both clinical and scientific backgrounds (2) identify and address training and development needs for junior investigators (3) provide career support to those making the transition to independent researcher (4) increase awareness of the ECMC amongst junior investigators and (5) promote collaboration amongst junior investigators with a view to building links and future collaborations between ECMCs.

I have co-supervised 1 Clinical PhD student, in addition to supervising several students through the University of Leeds, including 2 ERASMUS students from The Netherlands, and intercalated BSc student and 2 ESRPEP students.

Responsibilities

• MRes Medicine Co-Programme Lead

Research interests

• I am a named Co-Investigator on the FOCUS4 clinical trial (Award £555,000; 2013-2018).
• I am a named Co-Investigator on £1.5m Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR) programme grant (2015-2020)
• I am a named Co-Investigator on CRUK grant; PLATO – Personalising Radiotherapy in Anal Cancer-integrated sample collection and biomarker validation (Award £265,000).
• I am a named Co-investigator on a grant currently submitted to The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland; ‘Developing a standardised colorectal biopsy template’.
• I was a named Co-Investigator on BIDD award ‘Pharmacogenetic markers of irinotecan toxicity and outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer’ Reference: C6003/A15546 (£15,000; 2012-13).

Qualifications

• PhD in Protein Biochemistry
• MSc in Medical Sciences
• BSc in Medical Biochemistry

Professional memberships

• Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
• British Association for Cancer Research

Student education

Co-Programme Lead for MRes Medicine.

Lecturer on MRes Medicine.

Tutor on MRes Medicine.

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's
• Cancer
• Pathology and Data Analytics

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>