In the following 6 years I carried out a case-control study of melanoma which described phenotypes associated with melanoma risk, and we started to recruit families with multiple cases of melanoma, to a programme of research designed to understand the causes of familial melanoma.

I played a key role in establishing UK and European Clinical Guidelines, and have been involved in other UK committees designed to inform management. 2004-2005 I was a member of the NICE Skin Cancer Guideline Committee, 2012-2015 I was the clinical chair for the NICE Melanoma Clinical Guideline. I was chairman of the NCIN Skin Cancer Committee from 2009-2014 during which we defined the COSD data sets.

In 1997 I instigated and have since then been chairman of the international melanoma genetics consortium GenoMEL. This consortium has led the way internationally in the identification of common and rare inherited genetic variants associated with melanoma risk. This is important in terms of understanding the biology of melanoma aetiology, giving insight into prevention, and for the rare high penetrance genes the long-term aim is to understand risk and to instruct proper screening programmes.

We are now, in 2022 working with the University of Oxford to build a cohort of at least 20,000 participants who have had melanoma treated by the NHS, in order to build a data resource to be used by international researchers to address the key remaining issues for the prevention and management of melanoma. Particular attention will be paid to the identification of biomarkers and improving the understanding or and management of drug toxicities and the effects of melanoma and its treatment on the quality oflife of affected patients. The project is called MyMelanoma and we hope to start recruiting January 1st 2023.