Professor Norman Maitland retires

Professor Norman Maitland, the eminent York scientist whose research into prostate cancer has often been supported by York Against Cancer, is retiring from the University of York after 28 years as the University’s Chair of Molecular Biology.

Our charity has made grants towards Prof Maitland’s work, and R U Taking The P…?, the annual males-only 5K that we help organise, also raises money every year towards his work and ours.

From this year the event will support Professor Maitland’s close colleague Dr Fiona Frame, who is shortly taking up a lectureship in cancer biology at Hull University, where she will be collaborating with Hull York Medical School doctors and Castle Hill hospital using tissue donated by patients in York, North and East Yorkshire to conduct investigations into prostate cancer.

She plans to use patient tissue to investigate ‘organoids’, groups of cells that mimic the behaviour of a human organ and can be examined in the round rather than in two dimensions.

She will also investigate hypoxia in tumours, a condition that can make treatments like radiotherapy or chemotherapy less effective.

Professor Maitland, who has been made an Emeritus Professor at York, plans to write and advise others, drawing on 45 years of experience in research into cancer.

He said he was delighted that the profile of prostate cancer had been raised while he was researching it. “When we started about a tenth of the amount invested into breast cancer went into prostate research, whereas now it is a fifth,” he said. “There has been a change, but men are still not taking cancer seriously enough. “

He said he would be coming along to RUTTP..? when it takes place in Bishopthorpe Road on Father’s Day, June 16. “I’d like to see more than 400 men and boys taking part this year!”, he said.

Brian Hughes, founder of RUTTP…? said he would be sad not to be working with Prof Maitland in future but delighted that his colleague Dr Frame would now benefit from the proceeds of the race.

“She will be continuing local research into prostate cancer and working with others in Yorkshire in her efforts to make progress against this disease,” he said.

Find out more about RUTTP...? and enter the race here:

https://www.yorkagainstcancer.org.uk/events/r-u-taking-p-sunday-june-16