George Vassiliou is Professor of Hematological Medicine, Director of the Blood Cancer United/Blood Cancer UK Specialist Center of Research (SCOR) in Myeloid Cancer Prevention and Co-lead of the Hematological Malignancies Virtual Institute at the University of Cambridge. He is also an Honorary Consultant Hematologist at Cambridge University Hospitals, where he founded and leads Europe’s first clonal hematopoiesis clinic.
He studies the pre-clinical evolution, molecular pathogenesis and treatment of myeloid cancers. Highlights of his work include the co-discovery of the shared precursor of myeloid cancers, clonal hematopoiesis (CH), the description of its lifelong natural history and the first demonstration that individuals at risk of these cancers can be identified years in advance, opening the prospect of their prevention. He also developed the first genomic diagnostic tools for myeloid cancers, discovered mechanisms of how they develop and identified hundreds of potential treatment targets using the first genome-wide CRISPR genetic screen in any human cancer. His work has led to development of new treatments, including METTL3 inhibitors that are now in clinical trials against acute myeloid leukemia.
In recognition of his work, he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and awarded the European Haematology Association Research Excellence Award in 2026.