Prof Calvert speaks about his current work at UCL developing phase I and translational research in addition to working with the UCL bioscience department to develop novel cancer treatments. Prof Calvert then explains the background to his important work developing PARP inhibitors and outlines how these drugs are likely to be effective in some tumours that do not have the non BRCA mutation but do show BRCA-like phenotypes. Possible future developments include the use of PARP inhibitors as a chemo-preventative drug in patients who are known to be BRCA carriers.