Clinical Profiles

Mark Linch

The Cancer Research UK London Research Institute (LRI) is a world-class research facility famed for its basic science and Nobel prize winners and is increasingly embracing translational research.  I was made aware of the LRI whilst working at the Leeds Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Centre, during an Intercalated BSc as part of my medical studies at Leeds University Medical School.  It was this experience that fuelled my enthusiasm for Molecular Biology and Cancer Medicine.

After completing my undergraduate studies and a medical rotation in London I took up a Specialist Registrar post in Medical Oncology at the Royal Marsden Cancer Hospital.  Discussions with various clinician scientists combined with my previous experiences led me to apply for and subsequently gain a CRUK clinical fellowship at the LRI.

This enabled me to join the Protein Phosphorylation Laboratory that focuses on the role of protein kinases in cancer signalling.  As kinases are a major target for drug development programmes, the relevance of this work to the clinic was clearly apparent.  In fact much of my work has revolved around using 3D cellular models to validate a particular kinase as a cancer drug target and this has been done in close collaboration with Cancer Research Technology (the technology development and commercialisation arm of CRUK).

My supervisor has given me the freedom to explore those areas that really interest me and has always provided boundless support, encouragement, guidance and innovation.  As a Clinical Fellow you join the well-structured LRI PhD programme that helps equip you for life as a scientist and provides further layers of support.

In the Lab I have found supportive and helpful colleagues and there is a good sense of fun and plenty of socialising after work.  Whilst large enough to warrant its range of first class core scientific facilities, the LRI retains a ‘friendly feel’ without obvious hierarchy.  In fact, I have gained many scientific insights from informal discussions in the corridor or over coffee.

Although I work a similar number of hours to when I was doing hospital medicine, the flexible nature of research means that I have probably been able to see more of my family, avoid the rush hour, and slightly improve my golf handicap.

On starting in the Lab I missed two key aspects of clinical medicine – the regular satisfaction of grateful patients and its obvious sense of purpose. My Fellowship gave me the option to do a clinical session per week, which I initially took up.  After considerable determination and perseverance in the Lab however, I have realised that a well-executed experiment or a good result brings amazing joy.  I have an excited optimism about future scientific enquiry and believe in its importance to medical advancement.