University Lecturer in Uro-oncology and Consultant Urologist
Biography/Research interests
Vincent Gnanapragasam graduated with BMedSci and MBBS degrees from Newcastle University. Following basic surgical training, he was one of the first trainees to be funded through a Cancer Research UK PhD for Clinicians. Whilst undertaking Higher Specialist Training in Urology in the North East, Vincent was appointed as Urology First Assistant (Clinical Lecturer) at Newcastle University in 2003. In 2004, supported by the first CRUK Clinician Scientist Fellowship given to a surgeon, Vincent established his own research group. After completing urology training in 2007, he was appointed as a University Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, and Honorary Consultant Urologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge funded by a HEFCE Clinical Senior Lectureship Award (the only urologist in the UK).
Vincent’s current research covers the full spectrum of basic science, translational, clinical and epidemiological disciplines.
Key highlights
- He has published original investigator-led research identifying novel aberrant signalling events that directly lead to prostate cancer metastasis and poor clinical outcomes (Sef/Spred2).
- Vincent has contributed to developing the UK’s first radical prostatectomy window trial pipeline using novel agents (CANCAP02/CANCAP03) and has developed interventional trials in men on active surveillance.
- He has led and published research demonstrating evidence of a changing paradigm in disease presentation and treatment patterns for prostate cancer in the UK.
- Using these findings, he has developed a brand new prognostic model for unscreened men at diagnosis (Cambridge Prognostic Groups) which strongly outperforms the NICE criteria in the prediction of risk of cancer death and has been validated in data from over 86,000 men.
- In the light of growing UK service demands for transperineal (TP) prostate biopsy, he has invented a novel low-cost device to undertake local anaesthetic TP biopsies and demonstrated its feasibility, acceptability and safety (CAMPROBE patent: PCT/GB2015/052065).
- He has raised over £5.7 m in peer reviewed project and personal fellowship funding. He is chief investigator of a number of translational trials including CHIRRP, DMAPS, and TAPS
- Vincent along with colleagues in pathology, radiology, oncology and basic science have set up the Translational Prostate Cancer Collaborative in Cambridge to conduct novel investigator initiated integrated research to improve clinical outcome for patients.
Vincent’s urological practice focuses on prostate cancer and general urology, and he has helped introduce key vanguards to improve the local and regional patient care:
- With colleagues, Vincent contributed to developing image fusion targeted prostate biopsy in Cambridge and established a regional service.
- He led development of a structured Active Surveillance programme and set up one of the UK’s first dedicated clinics and pathways.
- To further aid this work, Vincent designed and developed an online PSA tracker (trackmypsa.com) to empower patient self-care and facilitate remote follow up. He is one of only 2 UK clinicians involved in the international GAP3 active surveillance consortium funded by The Movember Foundation.
Vincent has diverse leadership roles locally, regionally, and nationally. In his university role he (i) leads the University Academic Urology Group, (ii) co-leads the CRUK Cambridge Cancer Centre Urological Malignancies Programme and (iii) manages the Cambridge Urological Bio-repository and (iv) sits on the executive committee of the CRUK Cambridge cancer Centre early detection programme. As head of research in the NHS Department of Urology, he established Cambridge as a key centre for national urology trials in 2011. The team now runs up to 10 NIHR and commercial studies at any one time. He is also regional academic lead for specialist training in urology Following appointment to the NCRI Prostate Cancer CSG in 2008, he chaired the localised disease subgroup until 2015, championing surgical and diagnostic research and organised the first UK multi-disciplinary consensus meeting for high-risk prostate cancer. As elected secretary of the BAUS Academic Section Executive Committee, he has been instrumental in the organisation of the annual meeting and introduced the BAUS annual research prize. Vincent was a key member of the James Lind Alliance strategic think tank for national prostate cancer research questions. He has served on national selection interview panels and contributed to national surgical trials workshops. Vincent has been closely involved in teaching and training. In addition, to his role as lead of the Academic Urology Group, he has directly supervised seven MD and PhD students and acted as educational and clinical supervisor for many urology trainees.
Vincent has been awarded a number of prizes during his time as a consultant, notably the CE Alken Prize for Urological Research, a Hunterian Professorship, and the NHS East Health Innovation Prize. In addition, his work and that of his students has been awarded best presentation prizes thirteen times to date at National and International meetings since appointment in Cambridge.
Key publications
Hori S, Wadhwa K, Pisupati V, Zecchini V, Ramos-Montoya A, Warren AY, Neal DE, Gnanapragasam VJ. (2017) Loss of hSef promotes metastasis through upregulation of EMT in prostate cancer. Int J Cancer IF 5.5 Jan 10. doi: 10.1002/ijc.30604.
Gnanapragasam VJ, Lophatananon A, Wright KA, Muir KR, Gavin A, Greenberg DC. (2016) Improving Clinical Risk Stratification at Diagnosis in Primary Prostate Cancer: A Prognostic Modelling Study. PLoS Medicine IF 14.4 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002063
Sciacovelli M, Gonçalves E, Johnson TI, Zecchini VR, da Costa AS, Gaude E, Drubbel AV, Theobald SJ, Abbo SR, Tran MG, Rajeeve V, Cardaci S, Foster S, Yun H, Cutillas P, Warren A, Gnanapragasam V, Gottlieb E, Franze K, Huntly B, Maher ER, Maxwell PH, Saez-Rodriguez J, Frezza C.(2016) Fumarate is an epigenetic modifier that elicits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Nature (2016) Aug 31;537(7621):544-547.
Thurtle D, Hsu RC, Chetan M, Lophatananon A, Hubbard R, Gnanapragasam VJ*, Barrett T* (Joint senior author)( 2016) Incorporating multiparametric MRI staging and the new histological Grade Group system improves risk-stratified detection of bone metastasis in prostate cancer. Br J Cancer. Nov 1. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2016.353.
Gnanapragasam VJ, Burling K, George A, Stearn S, Warren A, Barrett T, Koo B, Gallagher FA, Doble A, Kastner C, Parker RA (2016) The Prostate Health Index adds predictive value to multi-parametric MRI in detecting significant prostate cancers in a repeat biopsy population. Sci Rep. Oct 17;6:35364. doi:10.1038/srep35364.
Johnston TJ, Shaw GL, Lamb AD, Parashar D, Greenberg D, Xiong T, Edwards AL, Gnanapragasam V, Holding P, Herbert P, Davis M, Mizielinsk E, Lane JA, Oxley J, Robinson M, Mason M, Staffurth J, Bollina P, Catto J, Doble A, Doherty A, Gillatt D, Kockelbergh R, Kynaston H, Prescott S, Paul A, Powell P, Rosario D, Rowe E, Donovan JL, Hamdy FC, Neal DE ( 2016) Mortality Among Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer Excluded from the ProtecT Trial. Eur Urol. Oct 6. pii: S0302-2838(16)30680-7.
Behjati S et al.(2016)Mutational signatures of ionizing radiation in second malignancies. Nat Commun. Sep12;7:12605. ICGC Prostate Group.
Philippou Y, Parker RA , Volanis D, Gnanapragasam VJ (2016) Comparative oncological and toxicity outcomes of salvage radical prostatectomy versus non-surgical therapies for radio-recurrent prostate cancer: A meta-regression analysis. Our Urol Focus. June: 2:2;158171
