The MAHSC Inaugural Honorary Lectures are a celebration of exceptional academic and clinical contributions within the healthcare field. On this occasion, Professor Cynthia Eccles delivered a lecture reflecting on her remarkable journey as a research radiographer, introduced by Professor Tony Heagerty, Head of the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Manchester.

In his opening remarks, Tony emphasised the distinctive role of MAHSC honorary clinical chairs, highlighting their recognition of excellence across diverse disciplines, including allied health professionals (AHPs). He praised Cynthia as a pioneer in the field of radiography, with an impressive academic and clinical background. A graduate of Queen’s University and a DPhil holder from the University of Oxford, Cynthia has established herself as a global expert in advanced radiotherapy research. Her career spans leadership roles at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and innovative contributions to MR-guided radiotherapy, adaptive radiotherapy, and imaging biomarkers. Tony commended her team’s advancements in cancer treatment and her pivotal role in academic and clinical integration.

Professor Cynthia Eccles: A Radiography Trailblazer
Cynthia opened her lecture referencing her Canadian roots, which helped to encapsulate her professional journey. She framed her presentation around three themes:

1. The evolving role of radiographers in research
2. The intersection of imaging and radiobiology to innovate cancer care
3. The critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration in bridging science to practice.

Radiographers, she explained, occupy a unique space at the convergence of technology, medicine, and patient care. As diagnostic radiographers capture essential images and therapeutic radiographers deliver high-energy X-rays, their expertise places them at the forefront of advancing clinical cancer research.

Early Inspirations and Challenges
Cynthia shared her personal motivations, rooted in her Canadian upbringing and early volunteer experiences. A vivid anecdote described her time at Camp Trillium, a summer camp for children affected by cancer, where she discovered the profound impact of compassionate care. These experiences intertwined with national initiatives, like Terry Fox’s iconic cancer fundraising marathon, underscored the significance of research in transforming lives.

During the mid-1990s, she began her career at Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital, a pivotal time as radiotherapy transitioned from two-dimensional to three-dimensional imaging. This technological shift offered an exciting platform for innovation and revealed the barriers that radiographers faced in formalising their roles within research.

Advancing Radiotherapy Research
Cynthia recounted her trajectory into research leadership, beginning with her time in Toronto’s Advanced Integrated Practice program. Unlike contemporary advanced clinical practice models, this initiative emphasised research dissemination and iterative learning, providing radiographers with dedicated opportunities to specialise and contribute to cutting-edge studies.

Her early projects included groundbreaking work in stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for liver cancers, where she was part of the team lead by Professor Laura Dawson introducing novel immobilisation techniques and multimodal imaging strategies. Over the years, she co-authored numerous impactful publications, reflecting her commitment to advancing technical precision and patient outcomes.

Among her notable achievements was diffusion-weighted MRI to predict tumour response during radiotherapy. Despite challenges such as small patient populations, her work demonstrated the potential of functional imaging in enhancing treatment personalisation. Cynthia also explored experimental techniques, including oxygen-enhanced MRI, which showcased her dedication to pushing research boundaries, even in the face of funding constraints.

Bridging Basic Science and Clinical Practice
Throughout her lecture, Professor Eccles emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. She highlighted the integration of basic scientists, radiographers, and clinicians to address complex research questions and translate findings into tangible clinical applications. Her early involvement in paediatric radiotherapy research exemplified this approach, with teams combining scientific inquiry and patient care to tackle challenges like bone growth deterioration in young cancer patients. She was fortunate to undertake doctoral studies in a radiobiology  under the supervision of Professors Gillies McKenna and Kate Vallis.  Working with clinicians, basic and translational scientists she evaluated the impact of targeted radiosensitizers on normal lung tissue following radiotherapy using pre-clinical imaging, plethysmography and pathology.

Advancing MR-Linac Technology at the Royal Marsden

After completing her doctorate, she joined the Royal Marsden in Sutton, where her primary focus was the clinical implementation of MR-linac technology and its associated innovations. Over two years, she contributed to the development of five clinical trials and collaborated with radiology colleagues, to create an educational framework for therapeutic radiographers working in MR-guided radiotherapy. This effort supported both the advancement of clinical practice and the education of radiographers in a cutting-edge field.

Leadership in Radiotherapy Research at The Christie

She subsequently joined The Christie as Head of Radiotherapy Research and Development. While the role encompassed a broad remit, her primary focus has been on advancing mid-treatment adaptation and bioadaptive radiotherapy. Earlier this year, The Christie celebrated five years of clinical use with the MR-linac, during which all patients were treated on research protocols. Significant achievements include the creation of bespoke research studies and the acquisition of infrastructure grants that enabled the recruitment of research radiographers.

 Microbiome Research in Radiotherapy

A particularly innovative initiative she is hoping to lead, involves using on treatment imaging to understand the role of the microbiome in influencing radiotherapy outcomes. The project will integrate blood, urine, and dietary sampling with MR imaging to investigate how the microbiome impacts treatment response. Collaborating with computational specialists, biologists, and dieticians, the research aims to minimise the need for invasive sampling while generating valuable biological insights. If successful, this approach could be extended to other tumour sites, building on the team’s foundational work in pancreatic cancer.

Establishing the AHP Doctoral Academy

In addition to her clinical and research work, she has been instrumental in the development of the AHP Doctoral Academy at the University of Manchester. She has co-lead the initiative, supported by a major infrastructure grant, developed by an interdisciplinary team at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. As the only AHP on the leadership team, she is working to ensure that the academy addresses the unique needs of AHPs in radiotherapy research.

The academy, housed at The Christie—Europe’s largest radiotherapy centre—focuses on fostering innovative research pathways for AHPs in radiotherapy-related fields. Early successes include securing funding for the first two PhD projects and establishing pathways for clinical radiographers to transition into academic research roles.

The academy also provides opportunities for AHPs to engage with research through taster sessions and co-supervision of master’s dissertations. With continued growth, the aim is to build a sustainable pathway for radiographers and other AHPs to contribute to radiotherapy research at local, national, and international levels.