Dr Gianmarco Contino

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Gianmarco is a clinician scientist actively working in the field translational oncology of gastrointestinal cancers and cancer genomic medicine. He has established his research group at the University of Birmingham after training in molecular and surgical oncology at worldwide leading institutions. With his research team, he is tackling structural variation of cancer genomes to exploit the vulnerabilities of aneuploidy and develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for upper gastrointestinal cancers. He is also pioneering the use of structural variation in germline genomes to identify predisposition to cancers. His clinical practice focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of early cancer, advanced endoscopy and genomic-driven precision oncology.

Scientific Inspiration

Gianmarco is passionate about all kind of science -in particular, genomics, oncology and physics – and cultivates an interest for philosophy, experimental theatre, jazz and classical music. Gianmarco also works in the field of medical epistemology with a focus on machine learning driven medicine and precision oncology. He is co-leading an AI working group initiative at the Von Hügel Institute, Cambridge University, UK.

Research Groups

Precision Health Technologies Accelerator

University Hospitals Birmingham

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: I adopt an open-door approach, encouraging independence and initiative. My philosophy is: “show me what you can do.” I expect students to take ownership of their projects, knowing that as they develop expertise, they will often surpass me in specific technical domains.

Provision of Training

My role is to provide guidance, critical feedback, and strategic direction, while fostering an environment where curiosity, originality, and confidence can grow. I will make sure you get the right training to feel confident in your research, starting with hands-on guidance and gradually moving towards independence. You’ll also learn from more experienced members of the group, and I’ll connect you with collaborators and contacts in the field. Along the way, I’ll encourage you to take advantage of professional development opportunities and relevant courses, so that you build both your technical expertise and your career network.

Progression Monitoring and Management

We will meet weekly to review progress and plan next steps, with additional opportunities to present and get feedback at lab meetings. My supervision is objective-oriented, helping you stay on track with achievable goals.

Communication

You can contact me at any time if you need support between meetings. I aim to be open and approachable, and I take your wellbeing seriously. I know that a PhD (and life around it) can sometimes be a stressful ride, so I am supportive and engage actively with mental health challenges as well as academic ones.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per week. These meetings will be a mixture of face-to-face and via video chat or telephone. I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.

Work Patterns

Work in my lab requires being present on site (be it in a laboratory or at a field site) during core hours (or a subset if working part time).

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5,000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Project Title

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Project Title

Secondary Supervisor(s):

University of Registration:

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Animal Health and Welfare, Microbial Food Safety, Plant and Crop Science)
Renewable Resources and Clean Growth (Bio-energy, Industrial Biotechnology)
Understanding the Rules of Life (Immunology, Microbiology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, Plant Science, Soil Science, Stem Cells, Structural Biology, Systems Biology)
Integrated Understanding of Health (Ageing, Diet and Health, Pharmaceuticals, Regenerative Biology)

Project Outline

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Co-supervisor on a project / projects with supervisor name + link.