Northern Head & Neck Alliance (NHNA)
The Northern Head & Neck Alliance (NHNA) is a Head and Neck Cancer Network established by the NHSA.
About the NHNA
The incidence of Head & Neck cancer in the north of England is significantly higher than the national average. The NHNA brings together academic and clinical experts in the field with a “Bench to bedside” approach including:
- Pre-clinical research
- Screening and diagnosis
- Translational development and clinical evaluation
- Adoption and spread in the NHS
The NHNA coordinates activities and knowledge sharing between its members across the North of England and Scotland. The group is chaired by Professor Terry Jones in Liverpool and runs a number of work programmes based on topical themes and common challenges across the North. Their ultimate aim is to significantly improve Head & Neck cancer treatment and patient outcomes in the region, as well as nationally and internationally.
If you would like to find out more contact us info@theNHSA.co.uk or through our contact form
NHNA Leads and Programme Leads
Professor Terry Jones
Chair
Professor Jones is the chair of the Northern Head & Neck Alliance. His other roles include:
- Professor of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Liverpool
- Director, Liverpool Head and Neck Centre
- Director of Research and Innovation, LUHFT and C&M ICS
- Honorary Consultant Otolaryngologist / Head and Neck Surgeon, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
Terry is a prominent researcher and Head & Neck surgeon. His research interests include basic translational research, clinical trials, patient outcomes and cancer inequalities. His main clinical interests relate to function-sparing cancer surgery. In particular, transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). Contact him by email for more information about the NHNA – tmjones@liverpool.ac.uk
James O'Hara
Deputy Chair and Joint Programme Lead for Health Inequalities in Head & Neck Cancer
James O’Hara is a Consultant ENT surgeon with a specialist interest in the management of benign and malignant conditions affecting the throat, voice box, neck and salivary glands at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital
He works with Newcastle University to deliver large trials assessing the effectiveness of tonsillectomy in adults and nasal septal surgery. He is a council member on the Royal Society of Medicine and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists.
David Conway
Scottish Network Lead and Joint Programme Lead for Health Inequalities in Head & Neck Cancer
David Conway is Professor of Dental Public Health and Director of Dental Research at the University of Glasgow and Dental Lead in Public Health Scotland.
David’s research interests are focused on understanding and tackling oral health inequalities – especially related to child oral health, head and neck cancer, and global oral health. He leads the evaluation of Childsmile – the national child oral health improvement programme for Scotland; and leads the head and neck cancer epidemiology research theme in Glasgow
David Hamilton
Joint Programme Lead for Laryngeal Cancer
David (known as “Winnie”) is a consultant ENT, head, neck and thyroid surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. He is also the Research Delivery Network (RDN) Medical Health and Care Director for the North East and North Cumbria. His clinical work centres on developing safe processes of care, reducing inequality and developing the roles of Allied Healthcare Professionals and trainee surgeons. His research is supported by NIHR and he runs the Laryngeal Cancer Cohort study (LARCH).
LARCH website: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/larch/
Kat Davies
Joint Programme Lead for Laryngeal Cancer
Kat Davies is a Consultant Head & Neck and Thyroid surgeon within Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust.
Her work involves both malignant and benign Head and Neck surgery and she is actively involved in the recruitment of patients to trials.
Kat is dedicated to improving the diagnostic pathway for patients with Head and Neck cancer and works on ways to achieve earlier diagnosis and improve treatment outcomes.
Emma Kinloch
Programme Lead for Salivary Gland Cancer
Emma is the Chair and co-founder of Salivary Gland Cancer UK (SGC UK). Focussed on pushing SGC research forwards and providing reliable information and support.
UK Salivary Gland Cancer Research Working Group (UKSGCWG) – Salivary Gland Cancer UK
Emma is also a non-executive Director of the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Foundation. Emma worked in finance for more than 20 years before turning her skills to cancer research and patient advocacy. She is passionate about involvement of the patient voice at all stages of cancer research.
Professor Gareth Inman
Joint Programme Lead for Translational working - From bench to bedside
Professor Gareth Inman is Director of Research Strategy at the CRUK Scotland Institute, Research Theme lead for the CRUK Scotland Centre and Director of Research and Professor of Cell Signalling in the School of Cancer Sciences in the University of Glasgow. Gareth is investigating the biology of Head and Neck cancer initiation, metastasis and response to treatment. He is currently developing pre-clinical models to identify potential biomarkers that can be used to guide improved patient therapies.
Winson Wong
Joint Programme Lead for Translational working - From bench to bedside
Winson is a Consultant ENT Head & Neck Surgeon in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. His surgical interests include transoral surgery in both robotic and endoscopy approaches. Winson works closely on translational research projects with academic scientists at Hull University. In particular using microfluidic devices to examine tumour microenvironment. His work aims to assess tumour response to treatment so that personalised treatments can be offered.
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