Christopher Lord

Christopher Lord is a Professor of Cancer Genomics at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London. He serves as Deputy Head of the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre and leads the CRUK Gene Function Laboratory. His work bridges genetic concepts like synthetic lethality with clinical applications in cancer treatment.

• PhD in Genetics (Oxford, 1997)
• Post-doctoral training at University of Cambridge (2000)
• Current: Professor of Cancer Genomics, ICR (2017–present)

Lord is renowned for pioneering synthetic lethality research, particularly his work on PARP inhibitors and BRCA1/2 interactions. His studies (e.g., Nat Cell Biol 2022, Nat Commun 2021) explore mechanisms of cancer drug resistance, functional genomics, and novel therapeutic strategies.

His research involves large-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screens to identify actionable genetic interactions, with clinical implications for breast cancer and other malignancies. Key awards include the 2022 AACR Team Science Prize and fellowships from the Royal Society of Biology and European Academy of Cancer Sciences.

As an author of over 220 peer-reviewed publications (h-index 98), Lord's work has driven multiple clinical trials and regulatory approvals for PARP inhibitors. He collaborates extensively with teams like Alan Ashworth's lab and institutions including CRUK.