Liz Rapley - Profile
Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Rapley is an experienced research scientist who has recently moved into a communications role at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
As the ICR’s Scientific Spokesperson, Dr Rapley works within the Public Relations and Fundraising Team to raise awareness of cancer and the ICR’s groundbreaking research. She is also available to provide scientific comment and analysis to the media.
Dr Rapley has worked at the ICR full-time since 1997, most recently as joint leader of the testicular cancer genetics team alongside Professor Mike Stratton. Her work focused on identifying genes that place men at a higher risk of testicular cancer, and in early 2009 she published a study revealing the discovery of three new susceptibility genes. The identification of these genetic variants has helped to improve understanding of how cancer develops, and they could also potentially become targets for new treatments.
Dr Rapley was born in Australia and completed her PhD in human molecular genetics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, in 1997. She moved to the UK and joined the ICR because it is a “world leading centre for cancer research”, taking up a position as a post-doctoral research fellow in Professor Stratton’s laboratory. “This position gave me the opportunity to work on a disease that interested and excited me,” she says. Dr Rapley chose to specialise in testicular cancer because it is a rare but highly curable disease, and much about it – including the reasons for it being readily curable - remains unknown.
Alongside her scientific career at the ICR, Dr Rapley has helped to promote the male cancer campaign Everyman to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer and has also taken part in various ICR press and fundraising activities. Her move to the PR and Fundraising Team reflects her long-standing interest in scientific communications.
“I hope that as part of my new role I can not only raise the profile of the ICR but help to make the public aware and understand the wonderful work of this scientific community,” she says.
In her spare time, Dr Rapley is a triathlete and marathon runner, who has completed three Ironman Triathlons and two marathons, including the London Marathon to raise funds for Everyman.
