Proby Charlotte

Biography

Professor Proby graduated in Medicine from Oxford University and The Middlesex Hospital, London, in 1982. She entered Dermatology in 1987 (St Georges Hospital, London), becoming a clinical research fellow in 1989 with Professor Irene Leigh (The Royal London Hospital). She undertook clinical training in photobiology (St John’s Institute of Dermatology 1992-1994), before rejoining Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry (BLSMD) as a Senior Lecturer in Dermatology in 1994.  Professor Proby was Senior Lecturer at BLSMD establishing a longitudinal cohort study of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients and leading the clinical programme for the Cancer Research UK Skin Tumour Laboratory. She was awarded FRCP in 2004 and then moved to Dundee as Clinical Reader in 2007.  Since her move to Dundee, she has been appointed Secretary of the Scottish Dermatological Society Skin Cancer Group, President of the British Society for Skin Care in Immunosuppressed Individuals, Chair of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network for cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SIGN SCC), member of the NCRI non-melanoma skin cancer clinical studies group, member of the British Association of Dermatologists Skin Cancer Prevention Committee, Board member of Skin Care in Organ transplant Patients in Europe (SCOPE) and UK representative on the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaboration (ITSCC).

Research Interest

Professor Proby’s research has focused on skin cancer, particularly on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).  Cutaneous SCC, the second most common cancer in white skinned human populations, is rapidly increasing in incidence in our sun-damaged and aging population. It is a significant challenge in high-risk populations such as immunosuppressed organ transplant recipients (OTR) who show a 150-fold increased risk for SCC, often developing multiple cancers with significant morbidity and mortality.   She has made major contributions to research in non-melanoma skin cancer and is recognized as an international leader in the causes and prevention of transplant skin cancers.  She has investigated the role of human papillomaviruses (HPV) in transplant SCC with both epidemiological and functional studies establishing an important co-factor or facilitatory role for HPV. Recently, her research has focused more on the molecular mechanisms driving SCC and the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. She is currently involved with target identification, target validation and trials of targeted therapies in in vitro and in vivo models of skin cancer prior to translation into human trial.  She is actively involved in clinical trials of new topical therapies for skin cancer and in public and GP education for skin cancer prevention and early detection. She has an increasingly important role in melanoma research in Scotland, with a current focus on the discovery and validation of serum epigenetics as prognostic biomarkers for melanoma metastasis.  In addition, we now have a new clinical trial (first in UK) for use of MEK inhibitor in NRAS-mutation positive melanoma (NEMO trial) due to start Dec 2013 and are in discussions with Novartis for an investigator-initiated ‘first of its kind’ use of combination BRAF-inhibitor and MEK-inhibitor for BRAF-positive melanoma in the adjuvant setting. She is increasingly involved in the Wellcome Trust-funded strategic award, so-called ‘DGEM’ initiative (Dermatology and Genetic Medicine; £5.9M; Grant holders Irwin MacLean, Irene Leigh, John McGrath), providing clinical expertise for the drug-discovery component and helping to build a clinical network for genetic skin diseases across the UK (BADGEM). In particular, she is facilitating the development of a Genetic Skin Disease registry within Dundee Health Informatics Centre (HIC) and she is applying for funding to develop a Scottish Clinical Trials Unit for Genetic Skin Disease to be based at the Clinical Research Centre (CRC) within Ninewells Hospital & Medical School. We aim to become a preeminent clinical centre in the UK for Genetic Skin Diseases as we already are for skin cancer research and treatment, and for photodermatology and phototherapy.  Professor Proby currently has programme grant funding from Cancer Research UK, with project grants from British Skin Foundation, NIHR Research for Patient Benefit and Focus on Melanoma.