Professor Andrew Pearson

Professor Pearson’s research focuses on improving the outcome of children with poor prognosis cancers (neuroblastoma, glioma, sarcoma and leukaemia) by introducing into the clinic new anti-cancer drugs, underpinned by strong pre-clinical and clinical research. He has a strong interest in neuroblastoma and the development of novel therapeutics for high risk neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is the commonest childhood malignancy and the tumour is associated with a very variable outcome. In its high risk form it has one of the worst prognoses of all childhood malignancies.

His objective is to develop ‘first in child’ hypothesis-driven, biomarker-rich early clinical trials of molecularly targeted therapeutics. Professor Pearson has a specific interest in developing biomarkers including functional imaging biomarkers utilising both MR and PET, for early phase studies.

Professor Pearson qualified in medicine in 1977 at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, trained as a paediatrician and paediatric oncologist and then spent a year at the University of Minnesota in the United States as a Lilly Medical Research Council Travelling Fellow.

Professor Pearson joined the ICR in 2005 after 30 years at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. When he left the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne he was Professor of Paediatric Oncology and Head of the Children's and Young People's Unit as well as Dean of Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. He came to the ICR because of its “unparalleled potential for developing new drugs for children with cancer, in order that their chance of long-term cure is improved”.

He presently holds the post of Cancer Research UK Professor of Paediatric Oncology and is also Head of the Children’s and Young People’s Unit and Divisional Medical Director of Cancer Services with ICR’s partner hospital The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Pearson is currently Chair of the Novel Agents Sub Group of the Novel Agents Sub Group of the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Clinical Studies Group of the National Cancer Research Institute, is a member of the New Agents Committee of Cancer Research UK and the Clinical Trials Committee of the European Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) consortium and on the Advisory Board of International Society of Paediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma Group.

Professor Pearson has been Chair of the United Kingdom Children’s Cancer Study Group, and was the first Chair of the group’s Neuroblastoma Committee and chair of the European Neuroblastoma Group (ENSG). He founded and was twice Chair of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma Group. He designed the COJEC regimen which is used through Europe for the therapy of high risk neuroblastoma.

Professor Pearson is President Elect of Advances in Neuroblastoma Research.  He also founded with Professor Susan Cohn of Chicago and is co-Chair of the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Taskforce.

He has authored more than 280 peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Outside research, he greatly enjoys time with his family and walking in the hills.