Research

I am the lead for solid tumor research at Barts Cancer Institute. I also lead the genitourinary (GU) cancer group at BCI.

My work focuses on a spectrum of clinical studies from phase I to randomised phase III. The majority of the studies are translational phase II studies investigating novel targeted and immune therapies. They exploit functional imaging and tissue collection.

Alongside these trials, our research focuses on correlation of novel biomarkers and aims to define markers that are of prognostic value and can predict response or resistance to therapy.

I have written over 100 peer review papers in this area and have grant income from national and international funding bodies.

I am on the editorial board of a number of journals and am part of the faculty for the major global oncology meetings.

Other Activities

• NCRN bladder cancer CSG
• NCRN renal cancer CSG
• NCRN translational oncology group
• NCRN CRPC studies group
• EORTC-GU executive committee
• ESMO faculty for GU cancer
• Editorial board of Clinical Genitourinary Cancer
• Co chair of trans Atlantic bladder cancer consortium
• International guidelines for testis cancer and renal cancer

Major Funding

• 2015-2020- Astrazeneca UK Limited, PDL-1 combination targeted therapy with AZ6094 in metastatic renal cancer (CALYPSO)
• 2015-2020- F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder-ABACUS
• 2013-2018- Millenium Pharmaceuticals Inc, NEPTUNE study of neoadjuvant TAK-700 and leuprorelin acetate versus surgery alone in intermediate and high risk clinically localized
• 2012-2017- AstraZeneca UK Limited, Comparing AZD2014 and EVEROLIMUS
• 2010-2015- GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development, A phase II study investigating upfront pazopanib in metastatic clear cell renal cancer (PANTHER)

Recent Publications

Expression-based subtypes define pathologic response to neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibitors in muscle-invasive bladder cancer Robertson AG, Meghani K, Cooley LF et al. Nature Communications (2023) 14(7)

Nivolumab plus Gemcitabine-Cisplatin in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma van der Heijden MS, Sonpavde G, Powles T et al. The New England journal of medicine (2023) 389(7) 1778-1789

Standard Versus Modified Ipilimumab, in Combination With Nivolumab, in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Randomized Phase II Trial (PRISM). Vasudev NS, Ainsworth G, Brown S et al. J Clin Oncol (2023) (2) JCO2300236
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37931206

Atezolizumab plus Magrolimab, Niraparib, or Tocilizumab versus Atezolizumab Monotherapy in Platinum-Refractory Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: A Phase Ib/II Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Umbrella Study (MORPHEUS Urothelial Carcinoma) Drakaki A, Powles T, Bamias A et al. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (2023) 29(7) 4373-4384

Corrigendum to “Pembrolizumab Plus Axitinib Versus Sunitinib as First-line Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: 43-month Follow-up of the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 Study” [Eur. Urol. (2023)] (European Urology (2023) 84(5) (449–454), (S0302283823029019), (10.1016/j.eururo.2023.06.006)) Plimack ER, Powles T, Stus V et al. European Urology (2023) 84(7) e123-e124

Pembrolizumab Plus Axitinib Versus Sunitinib as First-line Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: 43-month Follow-up of the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 Study Plimack ER, Powles T, Stus V et al. European Urology (2023) 84(7) 449-454

Characterization of Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Deferred, Upfront, or No Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in the Era of Combination Immunotherapy: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium. Takemura K, Ernst MS, Navani V et al. Eur Urol Oncol (2023) (2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37914579

LITESPARK-012: pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib with or without belzutifan or quavonlimab for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Choueiri TK, Powles T, Voss MH et al. Future Oncol (2023) (2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37882432

The cancer-immunity cycle: Indication, genotype, and immunotype Mellman I, Chen DS, Powles T et al. Immunity (2023) 56(7) 2188-2205

Definitions, End Points, and Clinical Trial Designs for Bladder Cancer: Recommendations From the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and the International Bladder Cancer Group. Kamat AM, Apolo AB, Babjuk M et al. J Clin Oncol (2023) (2) JCO2300307
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37793077

Biography

I qualified from St Bartholomew’s Medical School in 1996 and trained in medical oncology at Imperial College. I completed post-graduate training in oncology in 2005 and received an MD from the University of London in 2006. My thesis was in mechanisms of resistance to therapy in urology cancers.