Proton therapy poses many challenges for computational oncology: from the prediction of the number of patients for each indication, to the molecular processes of detecting and repairing the DNA damage caused by protons. We have established a group to provide mathematical modelling support for the biological and medical issues and problems.

My background is partly in modelling bioprocess engineering systems, but since 2003 has been increasingly focussed on modelling and computational methodologies for assisting medical decision making and treatment optimisation.

Mathematical models of the cell cycle (CelCyMUS)

Models of radiation-DNA interaction

Statistical analysis of clonogenic survival and models of the role of feeder cells.

Models of clinical trials (BBJJK) (Chemo-radio-immunotherapy combinations)

Models of demand for radiotherapy (Malthus)

Prof Karen Kirkby, The Richard Rose Chair in Proton Therapy Physics, University of Manchester

Prof Neil Burnet and Raj Jena (Cambridge)

Prof Catherine West and Gillian Whitfield and colleagues in RRR group in ICS

Dr Tom Mee, Dr Mike Merchant & Dr Mike Taylor, all proton team, RRR/ICS

Institution of Chemical Engineers

Formulation and solution of models in biological mathematics

Ordinary and partial differential equations

Numerical methods for ODEs and PDEs especially cellular automata

Reaction kinetics and transport phenomena in biological systems

Monte Carlo simulation techniques

High performance computing and Fortran 2018

BSc Nottingham Chemical Engineering (1979)

PhD Cambridge Chemical Engineering (1984)

Originally from Leatherhead in Surrey, I attended Kingston Grammar School and then obtained a First in Chemical Engineering at the University of Nottingham and was awarded the Elizabeth and J D Marsden Prize.  From there I went to the University of Cambridge to study for a PhD in Chemical Engineering, sponsored by BOC Ltd. My dissertation on gas separation by pressure swing adsorption was awarded the Danckwerts Prize.  After my PhD, I condensed into the liquid phase but remained in Cambridge with a two year post doc sponsored by Glaxo where the project was looking at the separation of antibiotics from closely related byproducts again by adsorption.

I then spent 33 years at the University of Surrey serving as lecturer, senior lecturer, reader and professor in the Department of Chemical & Process Engineering.  I gained an interest in cell cycle modelling and then in radiotherapy through Neil Burnet, ultimately spending a sabbatical year back in Cambridge on a discipline hopping grant from EPSRC, MRC and BBSRC.

Since January 2015, I have been working part-time in the Precise group at the University of Manchester, a variety of models have been developed and we are very excited about soon being able to test and validate these models in our proton research laboratory.