Mr. James Catto MB ChB PhD FRCS(Urol)

Department of Oncology
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX

Tel: +44 (0)114 271 2163
Fax: +44 (0)114 271 2268

email: j.catto@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I qualified at Leeds University Medical School in 1994 and trained in Surgery and Urology in Yorkshire. In 2006, I worked as the Urological Fellow at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Since 2007, I have been an Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield and I sub-specialise in Urological Pelvic Oncology.

In 2004 I obtained my PhD at Sheffield University investigating the molecular biology of bladder cancer. This work was funded by the MRC and British Urological Foundation, and was awarded the Best Thesis in Europe by the European Urology Association and the Bard Medal by the British Association of Urological Surgeons. Following my PhD I trained as a Clinical Lecturer in the Academic Urology Unit.

In 2007 I was chosen for the American Urological Association exchange fellowship and visited the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Loyola and the University of Chicago, and UCSF, San Francisco to broaden my expertise. I am currently a Reader with the Academic Urology Unit and funded by a GSK Clinical scientist fellowship, awarded in 2006. In 2010 I was awarded the Crystal Matula for most promising Urologist by the European Association of Urology.

Research Interests

I currently run a lab in the Institute for Cancer Studies, encompassing 2 post-docs, 2 technicians, 3 Phd students and 1 ACF. We research the translational application of molecular biology to urological malignancies, and in particular Bladder and Prostate cancer. My particular interest is in the epigenetic alterations seen within these tumours.

Teaching Interests

I teach undergraduate medical students weekly and organise various uro-oncology study days for post-graduate urologists and surgeons. I am an educational supervisor to three trainee urologist and PhD mentor to 5 students.

Professional Activities

I serve in the following offices:
1. Scientific Congress Office, European Association of Urology
2. Executive Committee of the BAUS Section of Academic Urology
3. NCRI Bladder Cancer Clinical Studies Group

I am an Associate Editor for European Urology (Impact factor 7.66)

Current Projects

1. European Union, Framework 7: Prostate cancer: profiling and evaluation of ncRNA: ProspeR
2. Yorkshire Cancer Research: Genetic Instability and Death in Cancer Cells
3. Yorkshire Cancer Research: Epigenetic events following heavy metal exposure
4. GlaxoSmithKline Clinician Scientist Award: Epigenetic reactivation of silenced apoptotic pathways: Investigation of a novel therapeutic strategy in bladder cancer
5. Astellas Europe Foundation: Examination of the role for non-coding RNA in the mediation of chemoresistance in bladder cancer
6. The Urological Foundation: Investigation of microRNA mediated progression in Urothelial Cancer

Key Publications

Dudziec E et al.
Hypermethylation of CpG Islands and Shores adjacent to mirtron and microRNA genes in bladder cancer.
Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Jan 28

Owen HC, et al.
Low frequency of epigenetic events in urothelial tumors from young patients.
J Urol. 2010 Aug;184(2):459-63

Catto JWF, et al.
Microarray analysis using artificial intelligence identifies a novel progression signature for superficial bladder cancer.
Eur Urol 2010 Mar;57(3):398-406

Catto J.W.F. et al.
Distinct microRNA alterations characterize high and low grade bladder cancer.
Cancer Res. Nov 2009; 69(21): 8472-81