Meet the team
The radiotherapy physics team is made up of:
- clinical scientists (medical physicists)
- clinical technologists (engineering)
- dosimetrists (clinical technologists and radiographers)
- administrative staff.
Senior team
Claire Birch, head of radiotherapy physics
Claire leads our radiotherapy physics team. She has extensive experience in all areas of radiotherapy physics (including external beam, sealed source brachytherapy and intra operative therapy), and acts as the lead medical physics expert (MPE) for radiotherapy physics.
Claire is an accredited radiation protection advisor (RPA) and is the appointed RPA for radiotherapy (external beam and sealed source therapies) at our Trust. She is also an HRA registered MPE reviewer for radiotherapy.
As training officer for STP and PTP, Claire is involved in delivery of practitioner and scientist training. She also lectures on BSc physics and FRCR lecture programmes.
Email claire.birch@uhs.nhs.uk or call 023 8120 6889.
Rachel Barlow, deputy head of radiotherapy physics
Rachel has extensive experience in all areas of radiotherapy physics and supports the operational and strategic leadership of the department. Rachel is a medical physics expert (MPE) across all areas of radiotherapy physics and is the quality manager for the department.
Rachel is also an external moderator for the IPEM clinical technologist training scheme.
Email rachel.barlow@uhs.nhs.uk or call 023 8120 6889.
Heads of sub-groups within radiotherapy physics
QA and dosimetry
Nael Khater (head of QA and dosimetry) acts as medical physics expert (MPE) in radiotherapy QA/dosimetry providing highly specialist scientific/technical services to cancer care. He directs and manages the resources of the QA/dosimetry team in order to deliver clinical, scientific, advisory, educational and research and development capacity and services to cancer care.
Scientific computing
Virgiliu Crãciun (head of radiotherapy scientific computing) is a principal clinical scientist, with an extensive background in clinical radiotherapy physics and medical/scientific software development. He acts as a medical physics expert (MPE) in clinical radiotherapy physics.
Virgiliu has a keen interest in data management and in-house clinical and scientific applications development, in parallel with establishing a bespoke software quality management system. His particular focus is on high performance computing on GPU and heterogeneous systems for computational RT physics.
Virgiliu also has experience in the STP training programme regarding recruitment, supervision and management.
Brachytherapy
Aaron Huckle (head of brachytherapy physics) is a principal clinical scientist specialising in brachytherapy treatments, providing highly specialist scientific/technical services to cancer care.
Aaron has experience leading professional body groups, and previously chaired the IPEM CPD panel which audits CPD submissions on behalf of the Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT), Engineering Council, and Science Council. He currently is involved with Science Council registration assessments and CPD auditing. Aaron is also involved with the STP shortlisting and supervising STP trainees.
Alongside the clinical work, Aaron is studying on the Higher Scientific Training Scheme (HSST) and is currently researching the application and integration of electromagnetic tracking to improve the accuracy and reliability of brachytherapy treatments.
Radiotherapy electronics
Andrew Nightingale as head of radiotherapy electronics acts as the lead technical specialist for the radiotherapy electronics team. He manages the work of a team to carry out the service, maintenance and repair of radiotherapy treatment and associated equipment. He provides advice to clinical, technical and scientific staff and ensures compliance with relevant quality standards for radiotherapy electronics activity.
External beam planning
Iulianna Craciun (head of external beam planning) acts as a medical physics expert (MPE) in clinical RT physics. She has specific interest and role in the development and implementation of new techniques aimed at improving and modernising the patients’ treatment. Between the clinical and managerial duties, she contributes to the training and education of physicists, dosimetrist and students who are seeking clinical certification in radiotherapy.
Education and training
Jen Lowe (education and training lead) is a principal clinical scientist.
Her education and training role covers the training needs of new and current staff members, trainees within our department (including STPs, IPEM clinical technologist trainees, engineering apprentices and trainee radiographers) and promoting medical physics and UHS to the wider world. She also oversees the total body irradiation (TBI) and intra-operative breast radiotherapy (INTRABEAM in Winchester) services, in addition to supporting the clinical service.