I am a consultant breast surgeon at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. I am also Clinical Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Group in Edinburgh and hold an Honorary Professorship in Breast Surgery with the University of Edinburgh.

I received my MBChB and MD degrees from Edinburgh University, and trained in breast cancer research at the University's Department of Clinical Surgery. I also have a 1st class Bachelor of Science degree in Pathology. I trained in Edinburgh and Oxford. My research focuses on surgical perspectives in neoadjuvant endocrine therapy of large operable and locally advanced breast cancer, particularly aromatase inhibitor treatment. In efforts to optimize endocrine therapy, I am currently investigating the changes in biologic characteristics that occur during response and resistance to endocrine treatments.

I am a fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons of both Edinburgh and England. I am a member of the British Breast Group, the Scottish Cancer Trials Breast Group, the European Association for Cancer Research, a panel member of the UK National Breast Cancer Coalition, and a representative on the Central European Cooperative Oncology Group.

I have published over 240 papers, contributed 72 book chapters, and written or edited 17 books. I was the inaugural managing editor of The Breast and the former editor of the British Medical Journal. I am a reviewer for 20 cancer-related journals.

I have given over 100 invited lectures all around the world. I was the Royal College of Surgeons of Australasia Visiting Fellow in 2000 and 2011. I have been the co-chair of the Miami Breast Cancer Conference since 2008.