Magnus Dillon, The Institute of Cancer Research

Dr Magnus Dillon is a consultant clinical oncologist in the gastrointestinal unit at the Royal Marsden and leader of the Biological Enhancement of Radiotherapy Group at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.

His research focuses on the immune effects of radiation, and modulation of the radiation response.  He use preclinical models of gastrointestinal cancers, combined with novel radiation technologies and drug-radiation combinations to observe the effects on anti-tumour immunity.  His research spans preclinical, translational and clinical studies.  Recent work has included a phase I study of the ATR inhibitor ceralasertib with radiation, and studies showing the activation of immunity with this combination. His current work is exploring the use of novel radiotherapy technologies including ultra-high dose rate irradiation and spatially-fractionated radiation and the effect that they have on the tumour microenvironment and anti-tumour immune responses, as well as translational projects looking at the immune response to standard-of-care radiation in rectal, oesophageal and pancreatic cancers.

Professor Laure Marignol, Trinity College Dublin

Laure Marignol is Professor in Radiation Biology and Head of Discipline of Radiation Therapy at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. She leads an internationally recognised radiobiology laboratory, with over 120 publications addressing the global challenge of improving cancer outcomes after radiotherapy. Her research spans tumour hypoxia, molecular drivers of radioresistance, radiomics, and the integration of sex as a biological variable (SABV) in oncology, with a strong focus on developing prognostic algorithms and novel therapeutic strategies to prevent tumour regrowth. An active leader in the international radiobiology community, she has served on the Radiobiology Committee of ESTRO, as past president of the Irish Radiation Research Society. She is an examiner for the UK Royal College of Radiologists. She also contributes as an editorial board member for specialist oncology journals and teaches on ESTRO courses.

Dr Sarah Gulliford, University College London Hospitals

Dr Sarah Gulliford completed her PhD Thesis entitled ‘Artificial Neural Networks applied to Radiotherapy’ in 2003 at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).  After completing her Clinical Scientist HCPC registration whilst working at Ipswich Hospital, she returned to the ICR as a Post-Doc.  Her principal area of research is the response of normal tissues to radiotherapy.  Studies include dosimetric analysis of clinical trials, representing the spatial characteristics of dose to organs at risk and considering dosimetric changes from on-treatment imaging. Dr Gulliford joined the Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) physics team at University College London Hospital in 2018, helping to commission the PBT centre.  She is currently the lead for PBT Treatment Planning and an Associate Professor at University College London.  

Navita Somaiah, The Institute of Cancer Research

Robert Rulach, Oxford University Hospitals

Alison Craig, The Royal Marsden

Samantha Terry, Kings College London