Joel Lecture 2020: Centenary Special

Jem Hebden: Desert Island Docs

Giving this year’s Joel Lecture, former Head of Department Prof Jem Hebden reflected on his own adventures in medical physics. Seen through the lens of his “Desert Island Docs” – a selection of eight papers that impacted Jem’s career – he considered how his career thus far has been influenced by the pioneering works of other scientists.

Watch Jem’s Joel Lecture in full:

 

Above: Jem Hebden (right) was presented with a commemorative award for his Joel Lecture, by Head of Department Andy Nisbet (left)

Robert Speller: Introduction

The lecture was introduced by the current holder of the Joel Chair, Prof Robert Speller. Robert has held the Chair since 2011, when he introduced the Joel Lecture as an annual event to highlight outstanding contributions in the field of medical physics by our academics. The Lecture is customarily opened by Robert with a brief history of the Joel Chair, describing how it was established with a bequest by the Joel Barnato family to establish the Joel Chair of Physics Applied to Medicine at Middlesex Hospital.

This year was no different, but nevertheless set apart by the fact that 2020 marks 100 years since the establishment of the Chair. As such, the Joel Lecture celebrated with a special Centenary Edition of the event, introducing two additional speakers from the Department’s PhD student cohort to highlight some of the current research activities in the Department future leaders in the field.

Watch Robert’s introduction here:

Joel Lecture Photos

Above: Photos of the Joel Lecture speakers

Savvas Savvidis: X-ray guided tissue engineering

Savvas Savvidis, speaking on his work in guiding tissue engineering of an oesophagus using x-rays, was introduced by his PhD tutor and Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies, Prof Sandro Olivo. Sandro described Savvas as an inquisitive and challenging PhD student who has developed an “amazing ability to interact with the medical community”, an ability which is central to the work of the Department.

Watch Savvas talk, including Sandro’s introduction, in this video:

Elena Tran: MR-linac and lung cancer treatment

The second PhD talk came from Elena Tran, who outlined her work on respiratory motion models for radiotherapy treatments with MR-linac. Her PhD tutor Dr Jamie McClelland told the audience in his introduction that response from industry partners, recognising the importance and relevance of Elena’s research and methodological approach, had been one of his “proudest moments”. 

You can watch Elena’s talk and the introduction from Jamie in the video below:

 

Above: Elena Tran speaking at the Joel Lecture

Joel Lecture Reception

The event was followed by a reception in the Roberts Engineering Building Foyer, attended by a mix of guests from the Department, across UCL, and external institutions.

See photos from the reception:

Watch

 Medical Physics and the Joel Chair

Joel Lecture videos

Robert Speller: Introduction

Savvas Savvidis: Guiding the tissue engineering of an oesophagus using x-rays

Elena Tran: Respiratory motion models for radiotherapy treatments with an MR-linac

 

Jem Hebden: Desert Island Docs