Professor Sarah R Brown

Profile

I am Professor of Cancer Clinical Trials Methodology and the Director of Early Phase Trials in Cancer Division.

I am deputy director of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit and co-director of the Myeloma UK Concept and Access Research Programme.

I started my career as a medical statistician at Leeds CTRU in 2003, gaining my PhD in phase II trial design in 2012 and subsequently establishing and developing the early phase trials division.

I specialise in phase I and II trials methodology in oncology, with particular focus in myeloma and radiotherapy. I have a broad range of experience with various funding bodies including charity, government and industry partnerships.

I sit on a number of external committees including as a member of the CRUK Clinical Research Committee, Blood Cancer UK Clinical Trials Review Committee, past co-chair of NCRI CTRad workstream 2 (early phase), and I am a faculty member for the international Methods in Clinical Cancer Research workshop. 

Responsibilities

• Director of Early Phase Trials in Cancer Division

Research interests

I am interested in the design and conduct of phase I and II cancer clinical trials. In particular I am interested in the application of novel and efficient early phase trial designs, evaluating multiple experimental therapies in a single trial protocol.

I am methodological lead for the CONCORDE trial, a phase I platform trial evaluating multiple radiotherapy-DDRi combinations in lung cancer.

This trial applies the TiTE-CRM design to multiple experimental arms, with the aim of identifying recommended phase II doses for each combination. 

Qualifications

• PhD Statistics - University of Leeds
• MSc Medical Statistics - Lancaster University
• BSc Mathematics - University of Hull

Professional memberships

• CRUK Clinical Research Committee
• NCRI CTRad
• NCRI Multiple Myeloma Subgroup (member)
• Methods in Clinical Cancer Research workshop (faculty)
• Blood Cancer UK Clinical Trials Review Committee

Student education

I co-developed the MSc in Biopharmaceutical Development as the Clinical Module Lead.

I have supervised one PhD to completion and am currently supervisor to four PhD students, with research projects including the design of phase I trials and personalisation of re-irradiation therapy directed by MRI and hypoxia markers. 

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research