Prof Rakesh Heer Chair of urology
- Patient age group
- Adults
- Consultant registered on
- 05/08/1998
- Primary medical qualifications
- BMedSci BM BS MRCS(Eng) PhD FRCS(Urology)
- Gender
- Male
- Services
- Hospitals
Background
Having qualified in Nottingham in 1997, Prof Heer moved to the Newcastle to undertake his surgical training. During this time, he also completed a PhD (2006), culminating in work that won the European Urology Association’s prize for the best paper in international literature (2008). He then went onto be awarded a prestigious Hunterian Professorship from Royal College of Surgeons of England (2010). Prof Heer continued to develop his research program and became one of the few surgeons awarded a CRUK Clinician Scientist Fellowship (2010), delivering pioneering research into prostate stem cell biology.
As a consultant surgeon in Newcastle (2011-2022), he was central to establishing a robotic cystectomy program in one the highest volume urology centres in Europe. He is a passionate surgical trainer, becoming co-director on the annual UK cadaveric robotic course. As Chair of Urology in Newcastle (2020-2022) and now at Imperial College London (2022-), he pursues specialist clinical and research interests in prostate, kidney and bladder cancer.
Prof Heer has a number of prominent National leadership roles, including NIHR HTA Programme Deputy Chair (2022-), NICE Clinical Guidelines Chairman (2021-), Chairman of the NCRI localised prostate cancer subgroup (2017-) and Chairman of the The Urology Foundation Scientific and Education Committee. Prof Heer’s NHS work has been recognised with a National Clinical Excellence award from the Department of Health (2021).
Expertise
Urological cancers