Mr John Edwards was appointed Consultant Thoracic Surgeon in Sheffield in 2007. He has major research interests in malignant mesothelioma and was awarded a PhD in Oncology from the University of Leicester. He is a devoted recruiter to many clinical trials, gaining a commendation in the 2014 National Institute for Health Research “Cancer Research Excellence in Surgical Trials” awards and receiving the Dan Idhe Lectureship Award at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in 2015. In 2015 he gained a Fellowship from the Sheffield Clinical Research Academy. He has supervised a number of national award-winning research students. He continues to pursue research interests, with worldwide international collaborations, including funded studies in lung cancer, mesothelioma, multiple rib fractures, empyema, quality of life in lung cancer, post-thoracotomy pain and the quality of service provision for thoracic surgery.
He has published 8 book chapters and over 150 peer-reviewed research manuscripts generating over 11,000 citations, an h-index of 47 and an RI Score of 6104.
In addition to recognised expertise in lung cancer, pulmonary, mediastinal and pleural disease, he has a special interest in surgery of the chest wall, with particular experience in costal cartilage injuries and pathologies. He initiated, in 2006, the first dedicated programme in the UK of Surgical Stabilisation of Rib Fractures, leading to being a founding member of the Chest Wall Injury Society. This has led to many clinical, university and industry collaborations in research, education, training and product development around the world in the field. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was thus recognised in 2022 as one of the first three CWIS Collaborative Centers in Europe.
Whilst not distracted by operative private practice, Mr Edwards has a busy medicolegal practice concerned with personal injury, asbestos related diseases and clinical negligence, related to his clinical experience.
Training Attended
Mr John Edwards qualified in 1993 from the University of Birmingham. He trained in Thoracic Surgery in Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. He undertook fellowships in Australia and the United States.
Qualifications & Accreditations
1993 MB ChB University of Birmingham
1997 FRCS(Glasg.) Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow
2003 PhD (Oncology) University of Leicester
2006 FRCS(C/Th) Intercollegiate Specialty Examination in Cardiothoracic Surgery
Additional Information
Organisation and Committee Memberships
1993- British Medical Association:
1993 - Medical Protection Society:
1999 - Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland
2010 – 2015 Member of Thoracic Surgery Sub-Committee
1999 - British Thoracic Society
2014 - 2018 Member, Mesothelioma Guideline Group
1999 - International Mesothelioma Interest Group
2020- Member, Program Committee
1999- European Society of Thoracic Surgeons
2019- Member, Chest Wall Working Group
2001 - British Thoracic Oncology Group
2016 - 2020 Chair, Board of Trustees
2007 – 2017, 2020 - Member, Steering Committee
2003 – 2017 Chair, Abstract Committee
2008 - National Cancer Research Institute:
2014 – 2016 Member, Lung Cancer Clinical Study Group
2008 - Member, Mesothelioma Clinical Sub-Group
2019 - Member, Lung Cancer Clinical Study Group
2009 - International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer:
2012 - Member of Staging and Prognostic Factors Committee
2017 - Chair of the R Status Domain Sub-Committee of the S&PFC
2017 - Member GGO/MIS Sub-Committee of the S&PFC
2009 June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund:
2009 - Member, Scientific Committee
2016 - Chest Wall Injury Society
2018 - European Representative, Board of Directors
2020- Member, Education Committee
2020- Member, Program Committee
2016 Mesothelioma UK
2016 - Member, Advisory Group
2017 - European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer:
2017 - Member, Board of the Lung Cancer Group
2017 - Chair, Early Stage – Surgery Sub-Group