James obtained his medical degree from the University of Leicester in 2007. He continued his clinical training in the East Midlands before taking up an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in Clinical Genetics in Birmingham. He moved to Cambridge to undertake a PhD, which was completed in 2019 and led to his appointment as an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer and subsequently University Lecturer/Honorary NHS consultant in Medical Genetics.

James’ research focuses on predisposition to cancer caused by genetic variation and is aimed at improving the clinical identification and management of individuals at higher risk of developing tumours.