Home News Finding Inspiration in Cancer Research – Meet Director of Research (Medical Oncology and Haematology) Dr Craig Gedye

Finding Inspiration in Cancer Research – Meet Director of Research (Medical Oncology and Haematology) Dr Craig Gedye

Icon Writers / 23 Jul, 2024

Following the retirement of Dr John Bashford, in July 2023 Icon proudly announced the appointment of Dr Craig Gedye as the new Group Director of Research for Medical Oncology and Haematology, marking the next chapter of growth for Icon’s research team.

Dr Gedye brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in cancer research, making him an invaluable addition to Icon’s strong clinical leadership team. With an extensive background in both public and private hospitals in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, Dr Gedye has held key leadership roles that have significantly contributed to the advancement of cancer care globally.

Read on to learn more about Craig and how he finds daily inspiration through research and his care for patients.

Choosing the Path of Oncology 

Craig was raised in a supportive family and attended a public school with excellent teachers. Despite having no family in medicine or science, Craig gravitated towards the field, earning an undergraduate degree in chemistry and biochemistry. Finding pure research wasn’t fulfilling enough, he was lucky to be able to attend medical school, and contemplated various medical specialties, including cardiology, intensive care, and family practice but landed on oncology.

“I ended up specialising in oncology; it just felt ‘right’, the perfect blend of clinical practice and research. I had the opportunity to help people and progress science,” Craig explained.

The Humility of Oncology 

One of the unique aspects of oncology, according to Craig, is the need for humility and to be honest with patients about the uncertainties associated with treatment while providing the best cancer care possible.

“Many current cancer treatments are really helpful, but all of our current treatments could be better. We need to keep improving and working with our patients to find treatments that will help in any way we can.”

Contributing to best care possible through research 

The desire to improve cancer treatments and patients’ outcomes drives Craig’s focus on research. Two milestones have shaped his approach to patient care and fuelled his research work.  

The first was when he happened to be one of the first doctors in the world to prescribe pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA), a groundbreaking cancer drug which today is commonly used to treat many types of cancer.

“Being a research fellow in the very first clinical trial for Keytruda was such an enormous gift. That’s a once in a lifetime moment because it’s rare that a Phase I trial will have such a huge impact on people’s lives, I was very aware of that special moment, and I still am to this day.”

The second was his collaboration with a patient to develop a novel treatment strategy, leading to multiple clinical trials. “I treated a person with cancer who had had quite bad side effects to chemotherapy and didn’t really want to go through that again. We agreed a different plan, shorter treatments and longer breaks.

“He suffered less side-effects, but the chemotherapy also worked for much longer than expected.

“He experienced over two years of benefit from a drug that usually works on average for just over two months.

“The results of his treatment made me focus on the idea of adaptive therapy and encouraged me to seek funding for a clinical trial. We’re now on our third funded clinical trial testing the idea of stopping and starting treatment to spread out the benefit and hopefully help people live longer.”

Promising Developments in Cancer Research 

Craig highlights several promising developments in cancer research, including immunotherapy, “intravenous radiation treatment” (Theranostics) and personalised therapy. He believes that these advancements hold great potential.

“Icon recently launched their Theranostics program, a completely new type of cancer treatment, showing promising results in some cancers. It will be exciting to see how we can contribute to better patient outcomes.”

For Craig, cancer care and good research is about teamwork. It’s clinicians working with research teams, patients, and industry partners to create a truly integrated network of care.

Photo: Craig presenting at Icon Doctor Day

“I joined Icon at just the right moment, and I’m so grateful for the enormous opportunity to be part of a global, integrated oncology network,” he explained.

“I’ve come on board with a priority to understand what matters most to our patients and the doctors and healthcare professionals in our network and how we can provide more research opportunities for the people we care for.

“Icon’s values are exceptional, and I know I’ve joined a place with endless opportunity for us to grow and innovate and ultimately deliver better care.”

Learn more:

About Icon’s research in our Annual Research Report here.

About doing research with Icon here.

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