Prof Nitzan Rosenfeld appointed Director of Barts Cancer Institute

Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld has been appointed as Queen Mary University of London’s new Director of the Barts Cancer Institute. He starts his appointment on 1 February 2024.

Professor Rosenfeld joined the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute in 2009 to set up his research group into molecular and computational diagnostics. He was promoted to senior group leader in 2014 before becoming the University of Cambridge’s Professor of Cancer Diagnostics in 2022.

His research into the use of circulating tumour DNA in diagnostics has been world-leading, and his achievements have been recognised by numerous awards including the Pezcoller Foundation Award, the Meyenburg Cancer Research Award, the Foulkes Foundation Medal, and the Cancer Research UK Future Leaders Prize. In 2020, he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

During his time at the Institute, he co-invented multiple patents and developed concepts and methods that were translated into clinical diagnostic tests. In 2014 he co-founded Inivata, a clinical cancer genomics company that quickly grew to 150 employees, raised over $150m and was eventually acquired by NeoGenomics for total of $415m.

Prof Greg Hannon, Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: “I want to extend our collective warmest congratulations to Nitzan on becoming the next Director of the Barts Cancer Institute at the Queen Mary University of London. That Nitzan is moving on to an important leadership position in UK science is no surprise.  In my view it was always a matter of when, not if.  But I hope that his success also speaks at least in a small part to the incredible environment we have at the Institute to incubate the development of talent and leaders at all levels.

While we are losing a fantastic and generous member of our community on the one hand, we are extending the reach of our community on the other.  It is my hope that he retains his connection to the Institute for a long time to come and that his new role builds bridges for the Institute.”

Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld said: “My time at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute has been an immensely rewarding and productive journey. It is a fantastic home for cancer research. I am grateful to CRUK and the University of Cambridge, and to my team members, colleagues and Institute directors at the CRUK CI over the years for their dedicated work and support, mentoring and learning, and the opportunities this has given my team and me to be part of exciting developments in translational cancer research.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to build on the experience I’ve gained and the world-leading collaborators in Cambridge to help propel forward translational cancer research in the UK, through the new role I will take on at Queen Mary University of London’s Barts Cancer Institute.”

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, VP (Health), Queen Mary University of London said: “I am delighted that Nitzan will be joining Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary, as the new Director of the Barts Cancer Institute. He is a huge talent and with Queen Mary colleagues he will play a key role in our strategy to detect cancer early, confirm residual disease after treatment, or identify recurrence.”

Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary University of London said: “I am delighted to welcome Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld to Queen Mary University, as the new Director of our Barts Cancer Institute.  Nitzan has a fantastic track record of ground breaking cancer research, including using simple blood tests to detect cancers, recognised through numerous awards and Fellowship of the British Academy of Medical Sciences. His leadership will ensure that the Institute, together with wider research across the University, will continue to deliver exciting and innovative cancer research at Queen Mary.”