Alison Birtle
Professor Alison Birtle is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist, MAHSC Honorary Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health at the University of Manchester, and Honorary Clinical Professor at the University of Central Lancashire, specialising in the treatment of urological cancers.
Her MD thesis was in PSA negative prostate cancers at the Institute of Urology. She is advisor to Macmillan on patient information for prostate, bladder and testicular tumours, Trustee and medical advisor to Fight Bladder Cancer, and Secretary to the British Uro-oncology Group (BUG).
Prof Birtle is a member of the EAU NMIBC and UTUC Guidelines Groups. She has published widely and lectures nationally and internationally. Professor Birtle has been Clinical Research Lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Research Network, Specialty Group Lead for Cancer Research for North West Coast CRN and Associate Cancer Research lead for North West RRDN. She is a former member of the prostate CSG and stepped down as chair of the Bladder/Renal NIHR Clinical Study Group in 2018 after two terms. Professor Birtle has been Principal Investigator and Chief Investigator on numerous urological clinical trials, and is the Chief Investigator on the POUT trial which has been incorporated into European Urology Guidelines.
In 2018, she was awarded one of the national 70 stars of the NHS award by NHS England and the NHS Confederations part of the NHS 70 anniversary. She has won numerous awards including best Oncology Abstract European Urology Association Congress 2018, Plenary abstract American Society of Clinical Oncology GU Symposium 2018, Best poster British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual meeting 2018, Researcher of the year North West Coast Health & Innovation Awards. She was appointed as a member of the RCR Academic Committee for Clinical Oncology in 2021. She was also awarded NWCCRN Research Practitioner of the Year in 2018, and more locally runner up in Lancashire Doctor of the Year.
Professor Birtle is a member of the Education Faculty for the European Society of Medical Oncology. She is passionate about patient access to clinical trials and believes in the mantra of a trial for every patient. Professor Birtle combines full time NHS work with a passion for research, and for musical theatre.
