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David Walker

Professor of Paediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

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Biography

​​​​I was born in Scotland, lived in the north East of England before moving to London where I was educated at Westminster School and came to University of Nottingham's Faculty of Medicine in 1972, where I was one of the 3rd cohort of medical students. After my house jobs in Nottingham General Hospital I went on to work Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge, Leicester Hospitals, St Mary's Hospital London, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) London, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, back to GOSH before being appointed as Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Oncology in Nottingham's QMC. I am married with two daughters

Since that appointment I have

  • led the development of children's haemato-oncology service in Nottingham until 2005
  • led the undergraduate teaching programme in Child Health in the 1990's
  • led the national and European brain tumour trials' committees in the 1990's
  • chaired the development of the national brain tumour guidance document in 1997, identifying the UK network of children's brain tumour treatment centres, which was published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and used by the Department of Health (DH) to direct funding,
  • fulfilled the role of national treasurer of the UK Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (Formerly UKCCSG),
  • initiated and directed the development of the Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC) since 1997 www.cbtrc.org,
  • shared in the lobbying process, which resulted in the establishment of the All Party Parliamentary Group on brain tumours and helped re-establish this group, launching its manifesto in the new Parliament in 2010 xxxxxxxx,
  • led the Mid Trent NIHR Cancer Research Network (NCRN), since 2004, delivering the infrastructure to offer access to clinical trials as an integral part of clinical care for as many patients with cancer as wish to participate,
  • acted as Clinical Director of Children's Services at QMC during the re-launch of Nottingham Children's Hospital in 2007/8,
  • been sponsored by the Teenage Cancer Trust as visiting Professor at Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne in 2007,
  • initiated the Brain Pathways project, which developed the clinical referral guidance for children with symptoms and signs of brain tumour. This guidance is now endorsed by NHS Evidence and is the focus of a public and professional awareness campaign, called HeadSmart Be Brain Tumour Aware, www.headsmart.org.uk.
  • been elected as member of the SIOP Europe board, this is the society representing professional and scientific views related to children and young people's cancer in Europe
  • been appointed as a Trustee of the Ellen MacArthur Trust, which promotes sail training as therapeutic recreation for children and young people with a history of cancer,
  • so far, completed 168 of 286 Munros, the mountains of over 3000 feet in height in Scotland,
  • completed the Nottingham Lifecycle 2011 by cycling from John O'Groats to Land's End, 1030 miles in 14 days with a great team from Nottingham University http://www.cbtrc.org/cbtrc/documents/acyclerideofalifetimedaw.pdf

Expertise Summary

I have expertise in 4 main areas relating to my work as a specialist paediatrician and academic

  1. Clinical practice in paediatrics and haemato-oncology
  2. Education of undergraduates and post graduates
  3. Translational research
  4. Medical and professional management

1. Clinical practice in paediatrics focuses upon managing clinical problems in individuals who are in the process of growing and developing within a family, whilst pursuing education and training for adult life. During my career, health services have extended the scope of practice in this area to include teenagers and young adult (TYA) up to 24 years of age. This has come about because the processes of growth and development have a profound effect upon the style of communication, clinical practice and facilities that young people need, to be appropriately managed, when they are ill. The diseases that young people get differ in the character, frequently as a result of the interaction between normal tissue growth and development and the disease process eg infection or cancer. I have particular interest and training in the management of the TYA patient.

2. I have explored a wide range of educational techniques and strategies during my time as leader of the under graduate programme in child health. As an undergraduate in Nottingham I was exposed to the ground breaking education programme that was developed by the course leaders of the time. The courses philosophy, design and structure has largely survived the past 4 decades, despite the major changes in expectation by the public and profession. I have led and contributed extensively to post graduate education within the University and in national and international clinical and scientific training conferences

3. As a clinician working in a field where clinical trials are offered routinely to new patients as a way of enhancing their access to the latest treatments, translational research is an integral part of my clinical practice. Close clinical observation is the bedrock of translational research. Testing hypotheses based upon clinical observation provides a strong impetus to apply the results of research back in practice. This creates the need to collaborate with a wide variety of research disciplines which in my case has included, nursing, psychology, psychiatry, rehabilitation therapists, social work, epidemiology, health economics, molecular biology, statistics, physiology, engineering, neuroscience, pharmacy, pharmacology, radiology, ophthalmology, pathology, surgery, radiation therapy, medical oncology, endocrinology and neurology.

4. Medical and professional management is an integral part of working in large institutions. Organisation of clinical or academic activities requires participants to contribute to strategy and implementation of institutional priorities, which in Government supported institutions, such as the NHS and Universities, needs close integration with national strategy development and implementation. I have contributed extensively in these processes both implementing and influencing national and regional strategies in NHS and University initiatives in clinical practice, education and research.

Research Summary

Co-Director of the Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre the centre's activities are described on thewir website www.cbtrc.org.

Principal Investigator HeadSmart Campaign www.headsmart.org.uk a public awareness campaign aimed at reducing the interval between symptom onset to diagnosis in the UK to be equivalent to the best reported world wide. The programme isfocussed upon children and young people < 18 years of age.

Recent Publications

School of Clinical Sciences

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Queen's Medical Centre
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telephone: +44 (0) 115 823 0695
fax: +44 (0) 115 823 0704
email: scs-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk