Glasgow Focus Groups

Our Glasgow radiotherapy research Focus Groups are truly multidisciplinary with representation from discovery and translational science; imaging, bioinformatics and the physical sciences; clinicians including oncologists, surgeons and pathologists; and allied clinical professionals from radiography and medical physics. They include members of all career stages from PhD students through to professors and lead clinicians.

The groups create supportive, inclusive and collaborative environments in which ideas can be shared, debated and improved, to generate high-quality multidisciplinary research proposals for external funding.

  • Lung and Mesothelioma Imaging and Radiotherapy Group
  • GLAHNC Glasgow Head and Neck Cancer Research Group
  • GGRBN Glasgow Glioma Radiation Biology Network 
  • Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Radiotherapy Group 
  • Colorectal Radiotherapy Research Group
  • Invasion and Metastasis Focus Group
  • Cell Death and Resistance Focus Group

We welcome everyone to join a group which best aligns with your research interests or a theme that you wish to develop in collaboration with colleagues.

Please email Anna Morris for details or if you wish to join the next meeting.

Recent Publications

An example of our recent publications:

Patient and Public Involvement Group

We have established a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group made up of patients or their family members or carers who have experienced radiotherapy treatment for cancer. We consult, work with and partner with patients and carers at all stages of the research cycle.

Examples of patient public involvement can include:

  • helping to plan and design research projects at initial concept or grant application
  • developing patient-friendly information and consent documents for use in clinical trials
  • recommending areas of focus for research planning and patient opinions to shape research priorities
  • sitting on a Trial Management Group to represent views of patients in research

 

If you have a research project, at whatever stage, that would benefit from input from our RadNet PPI Group please contact Anna Morris for further information.

 

Glasgow Head and Neck Cancer Research Group (GLAHNC)

The Glasgow Head and Neck Cancer (GLAHNC) Research Group was established in August 2021 by Dr Claire Paterson (Consultant Clinical Oncologist) and Miss Catriona Douglas (Consultant ENT/Head and Neck Surgeon) with the primary aim of increasing research into Head and Neck Cancer in Glasgow. GLAHNC is one of the seven CRUK RadNet Glasgow focus groups. The group is co-chaired by Dr Paterson and Miss Douglas, with a multi-disciplinary group of core members from across Glasgow who meet quarterly. 

GLAHNC main research themes are translational studies, epidemiology studies focused on inequalities and clinical trials, with ongoing studies ranging from lab-based projects to population level studies. Current research projects include:

 

  • BARITONE – adaptive radiotherapy for advanced oropharyngeal cancer, using MRI scans during treatment to
  • Radiotherapy failure after treatment of oropharyngeal cancer – most patients who have an HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer do very well after treatment however a small subset of these patients go on to develop recurrence of their cancer. This study will examine these patients in more detail to better understand why these patients develop recurrence.
  • The impact of the covid pandemic on head and neck cancer – the pandemic had a significant impact on UK healthcare. This study aims to look at the impact on head and neck cancer patients.
  • HEADSpAcE – Head and Neck Cancer in South America and Europe. This EU funded, WHO-IARC coordinated study is building a multicentre cohort investigating factors associated with late stage head and neck cancer.

 

GLAHNC also supports young researchers in the field of head and neck cancer and we currently have several research fellows working with the team.  Rhona Hurley, ENT registrar, studying for a PhD in Head and Neck cancer and Karen Mactier, Oncology registrar,  starting a PhD in radiomics. Grant Creaney, Dental Public Health clinical lecturer / honorary StR and Nick Beacher, Consultant in Special Care Dentistry are both undertaking a PhD in HEADSpAcE study (healthcare systems and oral microbiome). Craig Smith, BDS student, has been funded by the CRUK TRACC programme for a PhD in head and neck cancer risk prediction and Kelten Clements, BDS student, funded by a Carnegie Scholarship is carrying out studies on the impact of COVID-19.

 

GLAHNC Research Fellows Showcase – March 2024

GLAHNC members enjoyed an afternoon of presentations from several students and trainees who are doing projects with the GLAHNC team.  Projects presented ranged from lab projects done as part of an intercalated degree in Head and Neck Surgery, to preliminary results from the HEADSPACE study, to PhD student projects on larynx cancer, oropharyngeal cancer and cancer epidemiology.  The afternoon was very informative, with lots of stimulating discussion and new ideas for more head and neck cancer research in the future.