Professional background

Rachael Hough is a consultant haematologist at University College London Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust and Professor of Haematology and Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation at University College London. 

She has worked exclusively with teenage and young adult (TYA) patients with haematological malignancies since her consultant appointment in 2005.  

She has specialist expertise in the management of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in this age group and the use of umbilical cord blood as an alternative source of haemopoietic stem cells. 

She established a national BSBMT affiliated UK cord blood working group and has worked closely with the Department of Health, Stem Cell Strategic Forum and All Party Parliamentary Group of stem cells to promote the use of cord blood and to expand the national cord blood repository. 

She is also an international leader in the management of  acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in the TYA age group and has led on the TYA aspects of the UK ALL protocols, UKALL2003 and UKALL2011.  

TYA-specific leadership roles have included lead clinician of the Teenage and young adult cancer service at UCLH between 2008-2017, Chair of the North Thames TYA Cancer Network 2012-2022, Chair of the NHS England Teenage and Young Adult Clinical Reference Group 2012-2016 and Chair of NHS England’s Children and Young People’s Clinical Reference Group since 2016.