Dr Ashwin Sachdeva, an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Urology at The University of Manchester and Salford Royal, has won a prestigious Young Investigator Award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), and the John Black Charitable Foundation, to support his innovative work.
PCF Young Investigator Awards are intended to identify a cohort of future research leaders who will keep the field of prostate cancer research vibrant. Dr Sachdeva is one of just three UK recipients among 34 awardees globally to share $7.2 million in funding. He is the first to be awarded this prominent fellowship in the Greater Manchester region.
As part of the world-leading STAMPEDE trial, Dr Sachdeva’s project will determine whether metformin, which is a standard drug used to treat diabetes, can reduce risk of hormone therapy-associated side effects including bone and metabolic disorders. While hormone therapies are standard life-prolonging treatments for patients with advanced prostate cancer, approaches to minimize treatment toxicity and reduce the risk of falls and fractures will significantly improve quality of life.
His mentors for the project will be Professor Noel Clarke (Salford Royal and The Christie), Professor Nick James (Royal Marsden) and Professor Gerhardt Attard (University College London).
Dr Sachdeva said: “I am delighted to have received this award to support my work investigating treatment toxicity in prostate cancer and potential approaches to minimise these. It will be a real honour to be part of the international PCF community of motivated and supportive researchers who share a common goal of improving the lives of men with prostate cancer.
“Given the drastic improvements in treatment of advanced prostate cancer over the last decade, men with this condition are living longer and are therefore also exposed to a longer period of hormonal therapies. So, there is a great need to focus on minimising side-effects of these treatments, which this award will support.”