Marie Curie funds new Palliative Care research post

Marie Curie and UCL (University College London) have appointed Professor Paddy Stone as the Marie Curie Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care.

Professor Stone, who has worked in palliative medicine for 21 years, took up the chair on 7 April. He will lead an established team of researchers, in the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit. The Unit is part of the Division of Psychiatry at the university’s Faculty of Brain Sciences.

The team at UCL was built up by Dr Louise Jones and works on a wide variety of aspects of palliative care, including dementia care, kidney failure, teenagers and young adults with terminal illness.

Commenting on his new role, Professor Paddy Stone, said: “UCL is one of the best universities in the world, so it’s fantastic that Marie Curie has invested resources into the academic department there.

“I am really looking forward to combining the research expertise of UCL with the clinical expertise of Marie Curie and its hospice and community-based clinical services.

“This new role will allow me to devote more time to research, and I’m keen to work collaboratively with other UCL departments, academic institutions in London and Marie Curie’s other research centres in Cardiff and Liverpool, to get the most out of our research capabilities.”

Marie Curie’s Medical Director Dr Bill Noble welcomed the appointment, adding: “We are delighted that Paddy is joining us, he is one of the leading researchers of his generation in the field and his appointment confirms the ability of Marie Curie to promote palliative care research of an international standard.”

UCL’s Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, Professor Alan J. Thompson, said: “We have been very fortunate to have made such a strong appointment to this newly instituted chair of palliative care. Professor Stone brings a wealth of expertise to the role and is ideally placed to realise the full potential anticipated by Marie Curie and UCL in this exciting new development.”

Marie Curie announced the £3.2 million grant for the chair and associated lecturing and student positions last year.

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