Dr Vignir Helgason is a Reader in Cancer Research at the Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow.
Dr Helgason graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Iceland in 2000 and worked at deCODE genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) for three years before embarking on an academic career. He trained for a PhD degree in Prof. Kevin Ryan’s “Tumour Cell Death Laboratory” at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and graduated with a PhD from University of Glasgow in October 2007.
Dr Helgason held two post-doctoral positions in Prof. Tessa Holyoake’s lab at the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, which has been described as “a flagship model of integrated basic, translational and clinical research.”
In 2013, Dr Helgason was awarded a Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Research Fellowship that supports “truly outstanding biomedical scientists prior to establishing an independent research group in an international centre of excellence”. This facilitated a successful application to the University of Glasgow’s flagship Leadership Fellowship scheme, which allowed Dr Helgason to setup his own research group at the world-class Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre (WWCRC).
Additionally, Dr Helgason was awarded the John Goldman Fellowship for Future Science, a prestigious award aimed at those with “passion for science, a desire to develop new ideas and translate scientific advances into clinical practice”.
Through additional studentship/grant applications, collaborations, conferences, meetings and high-impact publications Dr Helgason achieved a promotion to a Reader in Cancer Research position in August 2020.