Dr Robert (Robb) Hollis (PhD)

Group Leader & CRUK Career Development Fellow

Biography

Background

Dr Hollis completed his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences at Newcastle University (2011–2014). He undertook a summer studentship and an honours research project within the Paediatric Brain Tumour Group at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, for which he received the NICR Research Project Prize. At graduation, he also received the School of Biomedical Sciences Prize for Scientific Achievement related to his work in science communication and public engagement. He subsequently joined the MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh as an MRC-funded PhD student (2014–2018), where he focused on the molecular profiling of ovarian carcinomas and the identification of subgroups with distinct clinical behaviour and therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Following his PhD, Robb was awarded an MRC DTP PhD–Postdoctoral Transition Research Fellowship (2018–2019) and subsequently held the post of Research Fellow at the Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research, where he continued to integrate multiomic approaches to define prognostic and predictive biomarkers across different types of ovarian cancer. He later secured a Tenovus Scotland Pilot Grant (2019, principal investigator), a Target Ovarian Cancer Translational Award (2020, Co-investigator) and Wellbeing of Women postdoctoral research grant in partnership with the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (2024, principal investigator), advancing studies in ovarian carcinosarcoma, low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma and endometrioid ovarian cancer.

In 2022, Robb was appointed an IGC Langmuir Talent Fellow to begin his transition to independence, establishing a research programme centred on translational ovarian cancer research. His work has included identifying novel risk stratification frameworks for endometrioid and high-grade serous ovarian cancers, alongside identification of novel therapeutic strategies in low-grade serous ovarian cancer and characterisation of the fundamental molecular landscape in ovarian carcinosarcomas. Robb’s work has been recognised through awards from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the American Association for Cancer Research, and other scientific bodies.

In 2025, Robb was awarded a 6-year Cancer Research UK Career Development Fellowship to identify new ways to prevent and reverse treatment resistance in ovarian cancer, leading a research group within the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh. He is the Theme Lead for Gynaecological Cancers within the Edinburgh Division of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre and is the dissertation year lead for the Cancer Biology and Precision Oncology Online MSc Programme. He also holds a position as an Honorary Data Analyst within NHS Lothian to support clinical research studies. His ongoing research programme aims to deliver clinically actionable biological insights that support improved stratification and novel therapeutic opportunities for patients with ovarian cancer.

Qualifications

PhD, Edinburgh University: 2014-2018

BSc (Hons) (First class), Newcastle University: 2011-2014

Responsibilities & affiliations

Group Leader, CRUK Scotland Centre, Insitute of Genetics and Cancer

Cancer Research UK Career Development Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Gynaecological Cancer Theme Lead (Edinburgh Division), CRUK Scotland Centre

Dissertation year lead, Cancer Biology and Precision Oncology MSc Programme, University of Edinburgh

Honorary Data Analyst, NHS Lothian 

Undergraduate teaching

BSc Reproductive Honours: 2019-present. Course materials, lectures, tutorials, exam assessment

Postgraduate teaching

Dissertation programme lead, MSc Cancer Biology and Precision Oncology. 2024-present

MSc Cancer Biology and Precision Oncology. 2022-2024. Course development, lectures, tutorials

Current PhD students supervised

Karim El-Shakankery (primary supervisor): 2025 – present

Rashi Krishna: 2023 – present

Eve Merry (co-supervisor): 2023 – present

Manal Alhabri (co-supervisor): 2023 – present

Joanna Porter (co-supervisor): 2025 – present  

Past PhD students supervised

Ailsa Oswald (TRACC PhD, associate supervisor): 2021 – 2025

Lorna Stillie (TRACC MB-PhD, associate supervisor): 2020 – 2024

Jess Lim (ECAT PhD, associate supervisor): 2019 – 2022

Invited speaker

Edinburgh Next Generation of Genomics. 2024. Key note speaker

Frontline Genomics Precision Oncology Webinar. 2024. Oral presentation

Tenovus Scotland Research Symposium 2023. Edinburgh, UK. Oral presentation

Tenovus Edinburgh Regional Charity Reception, 2023. Oral presentation

World Ovarian Cancer Coalition: Rare Cancer Panel 2022, online. Oral presentation; panel discussion

Society for Gyne Oncology Annual Meeting 2022, Phoenic, Arizona, US. Oral presentation: bridging the translational interface in rare ovarian cancers - endometrioid ovarian cancer

Organiser

Edinburgh Next Generation of Genomics (ENGOGS), 2023.

  • CRUK Career Development Fellow 2025
  • Edgar Gentilli Research Prize 2024 (Royal Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
  • BACR Travel Award 2022
  • Moray Endowment Award 2022
  • ICR Pathways to Independence Programme 2021
  • Institute of Genetics and Cancer Early Career Award 2021
  • AACR Pezcoller Foundation Scholar-in-training Award 2019
  • Lady Eda Jardine Charitable Trust Award 2018
  • Poster Prize: NGS Glasgow Conference, 2017
  • Northern Institute for Cancer Research Project Prize 2014
  • Newcastle University School of Biomedical Sciences Prize for Scientific Achievement 2014

Drug licensing/reimbursement application support: mirvetuximab soravtansine for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (analytical support ongoing with Abbvie)

GOG281: trametinib in low grade serous ovarian cancer: translational biospecimen analysis of practice-changing trial, identifying biomarkers of benefit/response

Drug licensing/reimbursement application support: first-line niraparib in ovarian cancer (analytical support with GSK; NICE approval 2020)

Drug licensing/reimbursement application support: first-line olaparib in BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer (analytical support with AstraZeneca; NICE approval 2019)

Ovarian cancer survival disparities across Scotland: characterised regional outcome disparities in Scotland (with Public Health Scotland & NHS Health Boards)

Development of the Edinburgh Ovarian Cancer Database

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