Hudson Alakonya

Early diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unmet until today. Over 80% of the patients present with late-stage unresectable tumours that are also resistant to conventional therapies. PDAC tumours currently present the highest fatality rates among solid malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. My project is focusing on developing monoclonal antibody and peptide-based PET/SPECT imaging agents for early detection of carcinoma in situ lesions among PDAC high-risk populations. Early detection would provide for timely therapeutic intervention and improve the current grim statistics.

Prior to starting my PhD in Oncology at Oxford, I graduated from University College London with an MSc in Cancer. I also hold a B. Tech  Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology from the Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya. In 2018, I co-founded the Integrated Cancer Research Foundation of Kenya, a charitable medical research company whose core aims are cutting-edge oncology research, evidence-based cancer education and improvement of access to quality cancer care. I am the current acting CEO, and I oversee its overall leadership. I am also passionate about helping Africa to have access to safe, effective and affordable cancer therapeutics through the establishment of biopharmaceutical startups.

At free time I love mentoring the youths, seeking solutions to chronic societal challenges, reading storybooks and doing body workouts.