Jessica Pealing, Clinical Lead Spotlight

Welcome back to our Clinical Lead Spotlight series, where we share key insights from the clinical leads behind our education, exploring the current landscape across key cancer specialties and the expertise shaping our programmes.

Introducing Jessica Pealing, Lead Haematology Pharmacist at The Christie.

Jessica provides clinical and strategic leadership for the safe and effective delivery of medicines used in the treatment of haematological malignancies and helps multidisciplinary teams navigate the opportunities and challenges they present. Her background is in clinical pharmacy, with specialist experience in haemato-oncology, advanced therapies, governance and the implementation of novel medicines into practice.

What drew you to work specifically in advanced/bispecific therapies, and what continues to motivate your work in this field?

What initially drew me to this sub-speciality was the opportunity to be involved in a truly transformative area of cancer treatment. Seeing patients achieve responses that would previously have been considered unlikely has been one of the most exciting developments in modern cancer care.

What continues to motivate me is the pace of innovation and the tangible impact these therapies are having on patients' lives. As new therapies emerge, we have a responsibility to ensure they are delivered safely and effectively, while supporting patients and healthcare professionals through an evolving treatment landscape.

What key developments are currently shaping the use of these newer therapies and the care of patients receiving these treatments?

One of the most significant developments is the rapid expansion of bispecific antibodies across haematological malignancies and through into solid tumour malignancy. These therapies are offering new treatment options for patients and are increasingly being incorporated earlier in treatment pathways.

Alongside this, we are seeing greater use of personalised and targeted immunotherapies, improved understanding of immune-related toxicities, and the development of more structured approaches to monitoring and managing treatment-associated adverse effects. There is also growing emphasis on outpatient delivery models and multidisciplinary care, enabling more patients to access these therapies safely and efficiently.

How are these developments influencing clinical decision-making and patient care in practice?

As these novel therapies become more widely used, clinical teams are required to balance efficacy, toxicity management, patient selection and service delivery considerations within the constraints of capacity. This requires close collaboration between pharmacists, nurses, doctors and the wider multidisciplinary team.

We need to understand not only the evidence supporting these therapies, but also how to identify and manage complications such as cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, infections and other treatment-related adverse events. Education, governance and clear clinical pathways are therefore becoming just as important as the therapies themselves in ensuring the best possible patient outcomes.

What key insights or learning do you hope attendees will take away from our upcoming immunotherapy/novel therapy/bispecific courses?

I hope attendees leave with greater confidence in recognising, monitoring and managing the unique challenges associated with immunotherapy, particularly bispecific antibodies. These treatments are reshaping the management of certain cancers, and it is essential that healthcare professionals understand both their potential benefits and their associated risks.

Most importantly, I hope participants gain practical knowledge that they can apply immediately within their own clinical settings, whether that is improving patient assessment, supporting toxicity management, contributing to service development, or enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that patients receiving these innovative therapies receive the highest standard of care possible.