James Underwood

Early life and education

Underwood was born at Walsall in 1942, where his father, John Underwood, was a general practitioner. The family settled in Cheltenham in 1948. He was educated at Downside School, Somerset. From 1960-1965 he was a medical student at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and a house doctor at St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea.

Career

He was formerly the Dean of Sheffield University's Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Joseph Hunter Professor of Pathology at the same university as well as Consultant Histopathologist to the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. From 2000-2002, by election, he served as the President of the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology and he was later elected as the President of the Royal College of Pathologists from 2002-2005.

He led his profession's response to the problems arising from tissue retention and use in the UK. Just before retirement, at the age of 64, professor Underwood became a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

He was a member of the Human Tissue Authority, which monitors and regulates use of human organs in research and education. During his career Sir James recalled making a mistake when he mistook a benign adenomatoid tumor for a malignant testicular tumor, which resulted in the patient having a testicle removed unnecessarily.

Research interests

Personal

Sir James Underwood and his wife, Lady Alice, have three children. Outside work, he finds music interesting and he enjoys walks with his family.

Books