Spotlight on... Harpreet Hyare

What is your role and what does it involve? 

I am the Lead Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) Consultant Neuroradiologist at UCLH and Honorary Senior Research Fellow within the Department for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.  My role is to deliver the UCLH Strategy through ensuring high quality patient care and through world-leading research and innovation.  After leading the UCLH Neuroradiology service for over 10 years, I have now developed a specialist interest in teenage and young adult neuro-oncology, being the Lead Neuroradiologist for the Proton Beam Service Neuroradiologist and holding an Honorary Consultant position at Great Ormond Street Hospital.  The TYA team, based at UCH, bridges the gap between paediatric and adult services, providing a dedicated service tailored around the unique developing adult brain. My UCL position enables me to translate novel imaging techniques and state-of-the-art AI models in brain cancer to improve clinical outcomes in this patient group.  

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role? 

I have been at UCL since 2005 when I commenced my PhD in what is now the UCL Institute of Prion Diseases UCL under the directorship of Professor John Collinge.  Prior to that, I was undertaking the Pan-London Neuroradiology Fellowship at UCLH.   

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of? 

I am most proud to be leading the Neuro-Oncology aspect of the BRC Neuroimaging Initiative set up in BRC 3 by Professor Nick Wood and supported by Professor Rob Brownstone within the BRC Neuro-oncology subtheme.  Through collaboration with Professor Parashkev Nachev in High Dimensional Neurology, we are developing a series of AI-assisted tools that are not necessarily for making radiologists’ lives easier but to realise individual level personalisation for improved patient outcomes in brain cancer. AI tools have been used to characterise brain tumour imaging in the research setting for many years, but it is only now that the AI models are able to deal with “noisy” NHS imaging data with great potential clinical value.  An example of recent work by my PhD student can be seen here. 

Most recently, I have been accepted for a place on UCL’s executive MBA program at the UCL Global Business School for Health.  This program includes deep dives into the UK and US Healthcare systems and aligns with my interest in digital transformation. 

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list? 

I am really excited about the current project.  We are developing a 3D brain atlas of a type of brain tumour known as “glioma” by combining detailed, highly curated clinical, imaging, histopathological, treatment and outcome data in the largest known set of gliomas. Through the application of AI models, we hope to characterise tumour heterogeneity in such detail that treatment can be personalised, closely tailored to individual patients. So, in a patient presenting with a newly diagnosed brain tumour, we would be able to understand the molecular genetics, identify therapeutic targets and simulate functional and clinical outcomes – all before the patient undergoes the surgeon’s knife.  We plan to incorporate paediatric gliomas, building a unifying model of gliomas across all ages. 

What is your favourite album, film and novel? 

Album – Anything by Prince reminds me of my student days at Cambridge. 

Film – The English Patient for the beautiful cinematography. 

Novel – I have just finished reading American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins a powerful portrait of migrants that is relevant in every part of the world. 

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)? 

What is black and white and red all over?  A newspaper – or an angry zebra! 

Who would be your dream dinner guests? 

I would say Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Elizabeth II but I honestly would prefer to hang out with family and close friends. 

What advice would you give your younger self? 

Have more fun! 

What would it surprise people to know about you? 

That I have reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. 

What is your favourite place? 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show – it always signals the start of summer.