A YOUNG Hampshire doctor has won a prestigious award to enable him to carry out pioneering research into new treatments for leukaemia.

Dr Feargal McNicholl, 32, is working with a University of Southampton team developing vaccines for patients with lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia.

The researchers want to use DNA from patients' cancer cells to switch on their immune system to recognise and kill malignant cells.

Now blood cancer charity Leukaemia Research has announced it is committing £52,000 to Dr McNicholl's work at Southampton General Hospital.

The clinical research fellowship is to allow talented young doctors to combine specialist training in medicine with vital research.

Dr McNicholl said: "I am delighted that Leukaemia Research has given me the opportunity to work with some of the UK's leading scientists in this field.

"This award means I can continue my clinical training whilst using laboratory time to carry out research that will directly benefit my patients."

Irish born Dr McNicholl moved to the UK in 1999 to work as a registrar at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, and later Southampton.

Dr David Grant, Leukaemia Research's scientific director, said: "This cutting-edge research is part of our national strategy to defeat cancers of the blood. These strong links between medical teams and researchers mean Southampton will play a crucial role in that strategy in the coming years."

Leukaemia Research is the only national charity devoted exclusively to improving treatments, finding cures and learning how to prevent leukaemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma and other lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders diagnosed in 24,500 people in Britain every year.