Richard Turkington

Richard Turkington is a Clinical Professor in Medical Oncology at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, and an Honorary Consultant at the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre. His research focuses on oesophago-gastric and pancreatic cancer, with an emphasis on genomic biomarker discovery and clinical translation. He graduated from Queen’s University Belfast and completed a PhD in 2007 under a Cancer Research UK Bobby Moore Fellowship. He held an Academic Clinical Lecturer position and was a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Hutchison/MRC Cancer Unit. His work has been recognized with awards such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award.

Education and Training

• MBChB (Medicine), Queen’s University Belfast
• PhD in Medical Oncology (2007), supervised by Professor Patrick Johnston
• Academic Clinical Lecturer in Oesophago-Gastric Cancer
• Visiting Research Fellow, Hutchison/MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge (2013)

Research Interests

Dr. Turkington’s research integrates genomic analysis, biomarker development, and clinical trials to improve outcomes for oesophago-gastric and pancreatic cancer patients. His work includes:

• Discovery of genomic and epigenetic biomarkers for early detection and treatment response
• Translational studies on immune response modulation in neoadjuvant therapy
• Development of biomarker-led clinical trials targeting precision medicine

Awards and Grants

• American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award (2017)
• Belfast Trust Charitable Funds Pump Priming Project (£94,119, 2024)
• SBRI Grant for capsule sponge testing (£90,431, 2024)
• Postgraduate Research Forum Oral Presentation Prize (2019)

Grants and Collaborations

He leads projects such as the DEBIOC trial evaluating dual ErbB inhibition and collaborates with institutions like the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre and the University of Cambridge. His work bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical applications, aiming to transform patient care.

Labs and Teams

He is part of the Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Team at Queen’s University Belfast, focusing on multidisciplinary approaches to cancer diagnosis and treatment.