David shares why he takes part in research and key learnings from his research experience.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your role?
I am a Clinical Scientist who works in the Radiotherapy Physics department. My role entails clinical service delivery, service improvement and clinical research. I specialise in the use of imaging within radiotherapy with a focus on how we use MRI scans to improve treatments.
What inspired you to take part in research?
I have always wanted to use my scientific skills to help people in a tangible way, using research to drive forward our clinical services is a powerful method of doing that as you are working at the forefront of treatment innovation.
Are there any studies that you would like to highlight?
From 2018 to 2021, I undertook a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Doctoral fellowship investigating radiotherapy MRI-only planning. This is the use of MRI scans alone to plan radiotherapy treatments. Previously, CT scans were used to plan treatments because they provide specific tissue density information, but technological advancements now allow us to get this information from advanced MRI scans. My research investigated how MRI-only planning can be used safely and what its potential benefits are for patients and services. We are now beginning to implement this technique for various radiotherapy treatments, using my research findings to benefit our patients.
How do you envision it impacting patient care?
MRI-only planning will positively impact our patients and service workflows. It will streamline our workflows and improve our patient’s treatment experience, as they will have fewer appointments, and reduce patient radiation doses. It allows us to target our treatments more accurately, improving our ability to visualise cancerous tissues.
What challenges did you encounter, and how were they addressed?
Radiotherapy research is complex and requires a multi-disciplinary team to deliver. Setting up a team to support this work in a busy NHS hospital was challenging, but we tackled this with strong collaboration, support from my colleagues and a willingness to engage in the Leeds Way.
What are some key learnings from your research career?
As researchers our role is to provide evidence of why we should implement new techniques. This requires tenacity, a long-term vision, and a supportive department.
Any word of advice to anyone considering a research career?
To be a clinical academic researcher, you need to be able to advocate for your work – if you can’t, no one else will do it for you!