The UK National Institute of Healthcare Research has granted a Maltese physicist funds to research a new method for treating lung cancer.

Gail Distefano, principal clinical scientist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RSCH), will be researching a new method to treat lung cancer with radiotherapy.

[attach id=722446 size="medium" align="right"]Principal clinical scientist Gail Distefano.[/attach]

The three-year study is possible after Ms Distefano was awarded a National Institute of Healthcare Research (NIHR) Doctoral Research Fellowship.

Ms Distefano’s PhD project will see her use new technology developed at the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing at the University of Surrey to image the surface of the patient’s chest.

This, combined with X-ray CT images, will enable Ms Distefano to design a new method for planning the delivery of highly targeted doses to lung tumours.

“This is a fantastic opportunity.

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at CVSSP and embarking on this research project with the ultimate aim of improving radiotherapy for lung cancer, reducing radiation to normal tissue and increasing the number of eligible patients,” she told the Times of Malta.

Ms Distefano moved to the UK in 2001 to follow her ambition of pursuing a career of radiotherapy physicist, as this would allow her to use her knowledge to improve treatments for people suffering from cancer.

Ms Distefano’s PhD is in partnership with the medical physics and radiotherapy departments of RSCH, CVSSP and the medical physics group at the University of Surrey and the MEMPHYS Institute of the National Physical Laboratory – a new centre that works closely with the NHS, academia and industry to enable the widespread implementation of a host of new technologies.

Alongside this fellowship, Ms Distefano is one of four people to receive the 2018/2019 NHS England Chief Scientific Officer’s Women in Science and Engineering Fellowship.

“I understand the associated difficulties with retaining, developing and progressing female talent to leadership roles, especially in science,” Ms Distefano said.

“I hope to create awareness of the available support and become a role model to other women returning to work, inspiring them to continue believing in their leadership potential.”