Dr Robert Huddart

Dr Robert Huddart is a team leader in Academic Radiotherapy and the Urology Unit, and leads our Bladder and Testis clinical programs.

In bladder cancer, he is co-UK Chief investigator for the recently closed CRUK BC2001 trial that  has demonstrated improved patient outcomes for concomitant chemotherapy with radiotherapy. Previously he was Chief investigator on the SPARE trial that introduced the concept of selective bladder preservation in the UK. Currently he is leading protocols investigating the utility of image-guided (IGRT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for the treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer and the role that functional imaging may play in its management.

In testicular cancer, he provides clinical input into the ICR’s work to investigate the genetics of familial and sporadic testicular cancer. He has extensive interest in developing the treatment of testicular cancer and, via his former Chairmanship of the National Cancer Research Institute testis group, he has had a lead role in developing the UK testicular cancer trials program. His role in this program includes being Chief investigator of the TE23 CBOP BEP randomised trial and co- investigator of the two national Phase III trials looking at the management of stage 1 seminoma testis (TRISST). He is also currently working to develop an internationally collaborative salvage treatment protocol (TIGER) for the treatment of relapsed metastatic germ cell tumours. He has previously demonstrated the impact of treatment for testicular cancer on increasing cardiovascular risk and continue to investigate the issue of long term effects of testicular cancer treatment.

Dr Robert Huddart is a Reader* at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), leading a team in the Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging that researches bladder and testicular cancer. He is one of the ICR’s top scientists in the Everyman laboratories and also an Honorary Consultant in Urological Oncology at The Royal Marsden, where he manages and treats patients with urological cancer - cancer that affects the kidney, bladder, prostate, testicles and penis.

Dr Huddart completed a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Medicine at Oxford, and a Bachelor of Surgery at the University of London before undertaking general medical training in Oxford and Cambridge. He gained membership to the Royal College of Physicians and then moved to The Royal Marsden for specialist training in oncology. Dr Huddart was awarded gold medals in both stages of the examination to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists. He first joined the ICR to complete a PhD in the molecular biology of testicular cancer with Professor Colin Cooper.

“Working as a clinical academic at the ICR and The Royal Marsden provides an almost unique opportunity in the UK of working and researching at the cutting edge of oncology, meeting and working with some of the UK's top cancer scientists and being able to investigate and use new technologies and developments. This, combined with the excellence of cancer care within The Royal Marsden, means there is no better place, in my view, for an oncologist to be,” Dr Huddart says.

Dr Huddart’s current research focus is improving radiotherapy treatment for bladder cancer, examining the genetic causes of testicular cancer and developing new ways to treat it. “Clinical oncology as a speciality was attractive to me as a blend of holistic patient care, complex treatment delivery and strong research,” Dr Huddart says. “I got into urological cancer through the opportunity to undertake a PhD on testicular cancer. I was persuaded to stay in this research area by the varied and complex management of the different types of urological cancer, each of which has a unique identity and challenge, as well as the opportunity to advocate for services for male cancer.”

Dr Huddart recently retired (after six years) as Chair of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) testicular cancer group, and jointly leads the ICR’s postgraduate course in oncology. Most recently, he has qualified for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from University College, London.

In the future, Dr Huddart hopes to be involved in “developing new personalised treatments which make a real impact on the outlook of the patients we see each week”.

Dr Huddart’s life away from work revolves around his wife and three children. He also competes regularly for a local badminton club in the Surrey leagues, despite joking he has “given up hope of improving”.

*A university teacher ranked between a Senior Lecturer and Professor.