Professor Darren Hargrave appointed NIHR Senior Investigator

We’re delighted to announce that Professor Darren Hargrave has been named as a NIHR Senior Investigator in this year’s prestigious awards list.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)'s Senior Investigators are among the most prominent and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR and the most outstanding leaders of research within the NIHR research community.

Senior Investigators are ambassadors for the NIHR across the NHS, social care, and public health. They are NIHR Academy Members, helping to guide research capacity development and play a leading role in tackling challenges in health and social care, working closely with the NIHR and Department of Health and Social Care.

Prof Hargrave joined GOSH in 2011 having previously worked at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He was appointed in 2017 as the GOSH Children’s Charity Clinical Professor in paediatric neuro-oncology.

He specialises in paediatric neuro-oncology (tumours of the brain and spine) and the development of new anti-cancer drugs for children and adolescents.

He is a Chief Investigator of several completed, on-going and planned clinical trials in paediatric cancer, ranging from “first-in-child” to international randomised studies.

He recently led a study at GOSH, involving researchers from around the world, which found that a combination of drugs can be effective in treating children with rare cancerous brain tumours, called BRAF mutated gliomas. This has since led to the approval of the first-ever targeted treatment for brain tumours in children.

Dr Kiki Syrad, Director of Research and Innovation at GOSH said: “I am thrilled to hear the news of Prof Hargrave's prestigious appointment. It recognises his exceptional contributions to cancer research throughout his career, which has benefited many patients and families."

The NIHR currently have 200 Senior Investigators and have made more than 800 appointments since 2008.

The announcement comes just a few weeks after the announcement of his appointment to co-chair of the Children and Young People Cancer Task force alongside Dame Caroline Dinenage.