Skip to main content
David Lewis

David Lewis

Honorary Visiting Professor

School of Engineering

Campuses
Queen's Buildings, Room Room C/4.03, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

I am a medical physicist and registered clinical scientist, with 25 years experience of work in the National Health Service in Wales, following previous research fellowships at Swansea University and the Institute of Cancer Research in Surrey, along with a period in industry with BP Exploration.

In autumn 2019 I retired from the role of Head of Medical Physics within the Cancer Services Division of Velindre University NHS Trust at Whitchurch, Cardiff. The responsibilities of the post included the provision of a wide range of clinical, scientific and technical services to the Trust but my primary area of expertise was in Radiotherapy Physics. 

Throughout my career I have maintained a strong interest in teaching, training and research. I am an Honorary Visiting Professor in the School of Engineering and I have co-supervised several PhD students whose projects have involved various aspects of medical radiation physics and biomedical engineering.  In addition, I have acted as reviewer and internal examiner for Cardiff University research degrees.

Research

Summary

My research has involved various aspects of the application of radiation physics and engineering in medicine.

This has included the use of Monte Carlo modelling and other computational techniques for improved accuracy in calculation and verification of radiotherapy dose distributions in cancer patients and the quality assurance of multi-centre clinical trials involving radiotherapy.

Grants and Awards

Project Title: Development of Monte Carlo Techniques for the Verification of Conformal Radiotherapy using the UK e-Science GRID

  • Award Title: Responsive Mode Grant
  • Funding Body: Engineeringand Physical Sciences Research Council
  • Co-Applicant: Prof D.W.Walker (Cardiff University)
  • Dates: 2005-2008
  • Size of Grant: £399,000

Project Title: Verification of Stereotactic Radiotherapy

  • Award Title: PhD Studentship (awarded to A.E.Millin)
  • Funding Body: Cancer Research Wales
  • Co-Applicant: Dr C.W.Smith (Velindre Hospital Cardiff)
  • Dates: 2004-2009 (part-time)
  • Size of Grant: £15,000

Project Title: Verification of IMRT

  • Award Title: PhD Studentship (awarded to R.S.Cufflin)
  • Funding Body: Cancer Research Wales
  • Co-Applicant: Dr C.W.Smith (Velindre Hospital Cardiff)
  • Dates: 2004-2009 (part-time)
  • Size of Grant: £15,000

Project Title: MONTE CARLO PORTAL DOSIMETRY

  • Award Title: PhD Studentship (awarded to P.W.Chin)
  • Funding Body: Cancer Research Wales
  • Co-Applicant Dr C.W.Smith (Velindre Hospital Cardiff)
  • Dates: 2002-2005
  • Size of Grant: £45,100

Project Title: A MONTE CARLO INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCURACY OF INTENSITY MODULATED RADIOTHERAPY

  • Award Title: PhD Studentship (awarded to E.Spezi)
  • Funding Body: Cancer Research Wales
  • Co-Applicant: Dr C.W.Smith (Velindre Hospital Cardiff)
  • Dates: 1999-2002
  • Size of Grant: £40,000

Project Title: CALCULATION AND MEASUREMENT OF RADIOTHERAPY DOSE IN 3D

  • Award Ttitle: PhD Studentship (awarded to P.A. Love)
  • Funding Body: Cancer Research Wales
  • Co-Applicant: Dr C.W.Smith (Velindre Hospital Cardiff)
  • Dates: 1997-2000
  • Size of Grant: £45,060

Project Title: DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES FOR IN-VIVO ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS

  • Award Title: Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (awarded to D.G.Lewis)
  • Funding Body: The Wellcome Trust
  • Co-applicant: Prof. J.Dutton (University of Wales Swansea)
  • Dates: 1991-1994
  • Size of Grant: £85,000

Teaching

  • Lecturer on Therapeutic Applications of Radiation in Medicine on Cardiff University B.Sc. Physics with Medical Physics course (2005-2017)
  • Lecturer in Radiotherapy Physics to Clinical Oncology Registrars (Wales and SW England) undertaking Fellowship of Royal College of Radiologists examination course (2000-2005)
  • Co-organiser and Lecturer on Swansea University M.Sc. in Medical Radiation Physics (1993-1996)
  • Co-organiser and Lecturer on Swansea University M.Sc. in Environmental Analysis and Health (1993-1996)

Biography

Academic Qualifications

  • B.Sc. Physics, Birmingham University (1981)
  • D.Phil. Nuclear Physics, Oxford University (1985)

Current Position (since 2020)

  • Head of Integrated Radiotherapy Solution Assurance, Transforming Cancer Services Programme, Velindre University NHS Trust, Cardiff.

Previous Positions (1985-2019)

  • Head of Medical Physics Department, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre University NHS Trust, Cardiff (2005-2019)
  • Head of Treatment Planning Section, Medical Physics Department, Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff (2000-2005)
  • Clinical Scientist (Radiotherapy Physics), Medical Physics Department, Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff (1994-2000)
  • Wellcome Trust Research Fellow in Medical Physics, Swansea University (1991-1994)
  • Applications Software Engineer, BP Exploration, London (1988-1991)
  • MRC/CRC Research Fellow in Radiotherapy Imaging, Institute of Cancer Research, London (1985-1988)

Professional memberships

  • Fellow, Institute of Physics (FInstP) and Chartered Physicist (CPhys)
  • Fellow, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (FIPEM)
  • Registered Clinical Scientist (Health Professions Council)

Committees and reviewing

  • Member of Welsh Government Scientific Advisory Committee (WSAC) on Health (2008-2019)
  • Chair of WSAC Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering Sub-Committee (2008-10 & 2017-19)
  • Member of WSAC Clinical Oncology Sub-Committee (2005-2017)
  • Radiotherapy Physics Lead (Cardiff), UK National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Radiotherapy Trials Quality Assurance Group (2011-2017)
  • Member of IPEM Professional Committee (2009-11)
  • Chair of Institute of Physics Computational Physics Group (CPG) (2007-10)
  • Journal Referee for Physics in Medicine and Biology, Medical Physics, Radiotherapy and Oncology
  • Book Review Editor, IPEM SCOPE Magazine (2001-2005)

Supervisions

I am interested in co-supervising postgraduate research students in the areas of: 

  • Medical radiation physics and engineering
  • Medical imaging physics and engineering
  • Radiotherapy physics

Current supervision

Elisabetta Cagni

Elisabetta Cagni

Research student

External profiles