The University of Sheffield
The School of Clinical Dentistry

Professor Paul M Speight BDS, PhD, FDSRCPS, FDSRCS(Eng), FDSRCS(Edin), FRCPath

Dean, School of Clinical DentistryProf. Speight

Professor in Oral Pathology, and Honorary Consultant Histopathologist

School of Clinical Dentistry
University of Sheffield
Claremont Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2TA

Tel:+44 (0) 114 271 7951
Fax:+44 (0) 114 271 7894

email : p.speight@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I qualified in Dentistry at the University of Manchester in 1978, followed by house jobs and a MRC Clinical Training Fellowship at the University of Dundee, where I obtained a PhD in 1984. From 1983 -1984 I worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as an Oral Surgeon, and as Postgraduate Tutor, developing postgraduate education for junior hospital staff and teaching at the University Dental School. From 1984 to 2003 I worked in London, first at the Royal London Hospital Medical College and from 1990 to 2003 was Head of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology at the Eastman Dental Institute, University College London.

I joined the University of Sheffield in 2003 when I took up the Chair in Oral Pathology. From September 2007 I have been Dean of the School.

I am a diagnostic histopathologist with special expertise in lesions of the jawbones, including odontogenic cysts.

Research Interests

My research has been in understanding the pathobiology of oral disease, particularly trying to understand mechanisms of progression of oral cancer.

The pathobiology of oral cancer and cell adhesion molecules.

We have investigated the role of integrins and cadherins in oral cancer and in the modulation of epithelial cell behaviour. Although the emphasis has been on mechanisms of infiltration and progression of oral carcinomas, much of the work is of a basic biological nature and is equally applicable to other systems including wound healing. We characterised a series of cell lines and noted that some had lost specific integrin subunits. Using DNA transfection techniques we have shown the importance of integrins in the regulation of epithelial cell function and have identified a particular integrin, alphaVbeta6, which can mediate cell migration, differentiation and metalloproteinase production and which may be fundamentally important in modulating the malignant phenotype and in normal wound healing. More recent studies have shown a role for the alpha9 integrin in modifying ADAM protein expression at the cell surface.

Biomarkers in Oral Cancer and Salivary gland tumours

We are undertaking studies of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins and cell proliferation markers in oral cancer and precancer and in salivary gland tumnours. We have found that MCM2 and MCM5 are upregulated in oral dysplasia and in some salivary gland tumours. We have also shown that DNA ploidy analysis can predict which precancerous lesions may progress to oral cancer. On going studies include a prospective clinical trial of markers in cytology specimens from oral precancerous lesions, and studies of DNA ploidy in predicting lymph node metastasis or oral cancer.

Screening for oral cancer and precancer

In 1990 I established the UK Working Group on Screening for Oral Cancer and Precancer. This was a national group of experts who looked at the feasibility of screening for oral cancer. Subsequently I have sat on a number of national and international groups relating to oral cancer screening, including 3 UK Dept of Health advisory groups and an NIH working group. We have evaluated screening methods and have been concerned with the epidemiology of oral cancer in the UK, including a definitive description of increasing trends among younger people and the identification of alcohol as the most important factor mediating increased incidence of the disease. We have undertaken studies into the costs and benefits of oral cancer treatments and screening including quality of life studies and measurement of utility values and have shown that opportunistic screening of high risk individuals may be cost-effective. Recently we have investigated referral patterns of suspicious lesions from primary to secondary care, and have determined what factors influence a dentists decision to refer patients with suspicious lesions. In 2011 I wrote the guidelines for oral cancer screening for the National Screening Committee of the Department of Health. These recommend that, at the present time there is insufficient evidence to justify a national screening programme for oral cancer.

Teaching Interests

My major role is teaching oral pathology to undergraduate and postgraduate students. I have special interest in cysts, oral cancer and salivary gland tumours.

As Dean of School I have oversight of all teaching and I am particularly concerned with maintaining a high quality education informed by excellence in research and scholarship.

Professional activities

I am a Past-President of the British Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (2000 – 2003), the International Association of Oral Pathologists (2006 – 2008), the Oral Medicine and Pathology Group of the IADR (1998-2001) and the British Society for Oral and Dental Research (2009-2011). From 2003 to 2008 I was Editor-in-Chief of Archives of Oral Biology and I still sit on 5 Editorial Boards, including being a senior adviser to the British Dental Journal. I am a member of numerous national and international committees including. In 2008 I was honoured with a Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association for Dental Research.

Key Committees and administrative Roles

Dean of School and Head of Department
Member, Faculty Executive Board
Member, Senate Budget Committee

Management Committee (Past-president) British Society for Oral & Dental Research
Chair, Dental Schools Council
NIHR Dean for Training (ACF) Advisory Panel
NCRI – Primary Care Clinical Studies Development Group
External Scientific Advisory Board, King’s Biomedical Research Centre
REF2014, Panel member
Member, Board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS). RCS Eng.
Chair, Research Committee, FDS. RCS Eng.
Member of Board, Health Education England
Dental Programme Board, Health Education England.
Editorial Board, J Oral Pathology and Medicine
Editorial Board, BMC Oral health
Scientific Advisory Board, Brit Dent Jour
International Advisory Board, J Oral Biosciences
International Review Panel. NIH Sjogren’s Syndrome (SICCA) project. UCSF

Key research papers

Pathobiology of oral cancer

Biomarkers in Oral cancer and salivary gland tumours

Oral cancer screening and early detection

Clincal cases series and reviews