Academic Event: In Conversation with Prof. Rebecca Fitzgerald: Learning along the way the hard way!

We are excited to welcome Prof. Rebecca Fitzgerald for a talk about her career journey!

Rebecca Fitzgerald is Professor of Cancer Prevention at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Early Cancer Institute. She is also Director of Medical Studies for Trinity College Cambridge, where she is involved with undergraduate and clinical teaching.

She studied Medicine at Cambridge University and gained her MD in 1997 following a period of research at Stanford University, California, with Professor George Triadafilopoulos. Her postdoctoral training took place at the Department of Adult and Paediatric Gastroenterology, St Barts and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry with Professor Michael Farthing, funded by an MRC Clinician Scientist award.

The focus of her research group is to improve methods for early detection of oesophageal cancer through better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis. Rebecca was awarded the prestigious Westminster medal and prize for her first proof-of-concept work on the Capsule Sponge and associated assays for diagnosing Barrett’s oesophagus in 2004. Since then, this work has received an NHS Innovation prize (2011), BMJ Gastro team of the year award (2016) and NIHR Impact Prize (2025).  Rebecca received a Lister Prize Fellowship in 2008 and in 2013 was awarded an NIHR Research Professorship to facilitate translational research for patient benefit.  She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2013 and Fellow of the Royal Society in 2024. In 2018 she received the Jane Wardle Prevention and Early Diagnosis Prize, and in 2021 the Don Listwin Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Early Detection.

• Date: 28^th August
• Venue: Deighton Room
• Duration: 19:00-20:00 hours
• Provisions: Pizza and drinks

Organised and hosted by Nandini Karthik