Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group

Meet the AI Advisory Group

• Dr Sonyia McFadden (Current Chair)

  Originally trained as a Diagnostic Radiographer at the Ulster University training centre practising in Belfast. Sonyia subsequently gained extensive experience within Higher Education as a senior academic, contributing her knowledge and insight to the delivery of professional programmes and at a strategic level.

  She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has acted as an external examiner for postgraduate PhD programmes at University College Dublin, University of Malta, University of Sydney and Curtin University, Perth, Australia. She has authored various publications, undertaken conference presentations at local and national level, and peer reviews for a variety of professional journals. 

  In 2010, she was awarded a Doctorate in Medical Imaging following a programme of research into “Radiation dose reduction in paediatric interventional Cardiology”. She became a Fellow of HEA in 2013, a Fellow of CHERP in 2014 and subsequently she was awarded ISRRT Dosewise International Radiographer of the Year in 2014. This was followed by a Fellowship of the College of Radiographers (by Portfolio) in 2016 and a Society and College of Radiographers Gold Medal in 2021.

  Her current research focuses on clinical and educational issues, currently she is PI on an ERASMUS+ funded grant, managing 7 partners and researching the education of therapeutic radiographers across Europe. She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement the AI Advisory Group.

• Dr Clare Rainey (Vice Chair)

  

  Clare is Course Director of the Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging programme at Ulster University. 

  She graduated from Ulster University in 2005 and commenced employment in a regional orthopaedics centre before relocating to her home on the North Coast of Northern Ireland, where she still lives with her husband, three children and Hugo the cocker spaniel.

  Clare started work in Ulster University in 2017 as a lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography and Computed Tomography. She earned her PhD in Artificial Intelligence in radiographic image interpretation in 2023.

  She is still actively researching in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine with particular interest in how humans interact with computers and the effect of computer feedback on human decision making.  She has published in number of well-known journals in the field on how image recognition AI detects fractures on plain radiographic images, the perceptions of clinical radiographers on AI and the educational requirements of clinical workforce for the integration of AI into clinical healthcare.  She has contributed to conferences and delivered talks on the differences and similarities of human and computer vision, AI impact on clinical practice and how to educate healthcare practitioners for an AI enabled future.  Her current projects involve investigating the effect of AI on clinical decision making and the effect that different forms of AI feedback have on trust in technology. 

• Dr Christina Malamateniou (Immediate Past Chair)

  Christina originally trained as a Diagnostic Radiographer at the Technological Institute of Athens (now called University of West Attica), practising Radiography in University Hospital of Athens Attikon for a few years before gaining a National Scholarship from IKY to study for her PhD at Imperial College London and Hammersmith hospital between 2003 to 2007.

  She subsequently gained extensive experience as an academic and researcher within Higher Education working as a lecturer at University of Liverpool, then Imperial College London as a funded research fellow in Perinatal Imaging, as a lecturer at King’s college, Research Lead at University of Greenwich and then a senior academic at City, University of London, contributing her knowledge and insight to the delivery of professional programmes, research in artificial intelligence and patient centred care and at a strategic level.

   

  She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the academy of medical educators. She has been a visiting lecturer in Athens, Dublin, Switzerland and in different UK Universities. She has authored various publications, undertaken conference presentations at local, national and

  international level, and peer reviews for two academic journals. She has gained as PI and CoI total research funding of more than £3.2 million through pump priming grants, fellowships and larger programme grants.

   

  She was awarded her Doctorate by Imperial College London in neonatal MR Angiography at high field in 2007 following a programme of research into “Perinatal MRI optimisation”. This work has informed her early research. She then gained a Master’s at King’s College London in 2019 in Clinical education and mentoring, which informed the design and implementation of the FoRRM scheme in the Society and College of Radiographers since 2017. She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement the Research Advisory Group. She is also the vice chair of the research Committee for the EFRS and was the chair of the very successful AI Working Group of the SoR.

• Martin Sykes

  Martin is a Therapeutic Radiographer by training, and spent most of his career at Hull, where he led the project to make the department become paperless from referral through to follow-up.     He completed an MSc in Health Informatics at University of Sheffield in 2018 and was the first radiographer to become a Topol Digital Fellow with HEE, joining cohort 2 in 2021.  He is now in the role of Chief Nursing & AHP Information Officer at Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust, providing clinical leadership to enable the organisation to achieve its digital ambitions. 

  In his current role he is also the Clinical Safety Officer, and has an interest in how AI is deployed, and how the safety of staff and patients is maintained throughout project initiation, deployment, and daily use, through to decommissioning.  He is looking forward to being a member of the AI Advisory Group where he can help the future of the profession realise the benefits that AI can bring to us all. 

• Noorayen Alware

  Noorayen is a medical ultrasound sonographer, specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology. Noorayen studied Radiography in Zambia, qualifying in 1993 and travelled to UK in November of 2000 prior to joining BHRUT NHS Trust in 2001.

  After gaining experience in most modalities within Radiography, Noorayen studied medical ultrasound at City University and now specialises in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, including clinical supervisor duties in obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound for the past 4 years.

• Kwun-Ye Chu

  Kwun-Ye qualified as a Therapeutic Radiographer in 2005 from the University of Toronto and completed her Masters of Bioethics in 2010 from the University of Sydney. She has previously worked clinically in Canada, having also taken on roles as a clinical educator and research ethics board member.

  Since 2011, Kwun-Ye has been working as a Research Radiographer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and the Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology (University of Oxford). Her research interests include IGRT, motion management, adaptive radiotherapy, MR-Linac based treatment, and SABR with a particular focus looking at abdominal tumours.

  Kwun-Ye has authored various publications, undertaken conference presentations at local and national level, and peer reviews for professional and scientific journals. She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement in the AI Advisory Group.

• Claire Currie

  Originally trained as a Diagnostic Radiographer at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, practising in Edinburgh, Plymouth and Glasgow, Claire subsequently gained extensive experience within Higher Education as an academic and programme lead of the MSc Diagnostic Imaging, Glasgow Caledonian University, contributing her knowledge and insight to the delivery of professional programmes and at a strategic level.

  She is also an experienced MRI Radiographer and continues to work in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an external examiner for undergraduate programmes at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. She has undertaken conference presentations at local and national level and assisted many of her students to publish their work.

  Currently working towards a doctorate in the field of computer science and studying the implementation of a clinical decision support systems in Scotland. She is involved in the Scottish Radiology Transformation Project clinical decision support steering group and the Scottish imaging artificial intelligence steering group. She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group. She also maintains her role as education representative for the Scottish Council Society of Radiographers.

• Avneet Gill

  Originally trained as a Diagnostic Radiographer at the University of Derby, Avneet subsequently gained extensive experience within clinical practice working in a large accident and emergency in Leicester for 3 years with rotational trauma plain film and CT experience.

  She then took a role in Oxford, as a Senior Research Radiographer to engage in more publication and academic work, whilst working clinically to support the department.

  She works with the National Consortium of Intelligent Medical Imaging, predominantly on validation AI studies, leading collaboration between industry partners and NHS trusts.

  She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement the AI Advisory Group. She also maintains her role as a Union Learning Representative for the Society and College of Radiographers involved in supporting radiographers in maintenance of CPD.

• Rebecca Hawkesford

  

  Originally trained as a Therapy Radiographer at Birmingham City University qualifying in 2006. The majority of her career has been at UHCW Coventry, however in 2015 she undertook a Band 7 post at Worcestershire Acute General Trust in order to widen her scope of practice as a radiographer.

  In 2017 Rebecca returned to UHCW Coventry where she undertook the role of SABR Lead Radiographer for the department. Earlier this year she took up a Part-Time Lecturer role with Birmingham City University whilst retaining a position as Radiographer at UHCW Coventry She is near completion of her MSc in Clinical Leadership in Cancer, Palliative and End of Life Care with the University of Southampton.

  She is planning to research the benefits of Radiographer led Pre-hab and Post Treatment clinics for Chemo-Rad Lung Cancer patients for her dissertation. She maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through her involvement with the AI Advisory Group and looks forward to the exciting challenges this will present to the profession.

• Christopher Kalinka

  Chris Kalinka is a past president of the Society and College of Radiographers. He describes himself as a radiographer to his core and being a radiographer is one of his proudest achievements. He has been a diagnostic radiographer for 35 years and has worked in most modalities, including running CT, nuclear medicine and interventional departments.

  He has been a radiology manager for nearly 20 years, so he appreciates the challenges in leading imaging in senior positions. He currently works on national imaging workforce and education in Wales and has recently been involved in imaging essential services, both maintenance of services and recovery during the Covid pandemic.

  Chris has a few key messages:

  - Radiographers are the largest workforce in imaging and therapy.

  - Radiographers and the SCoR look after people.

  - Radiographers can do anything with training and governance in place.

  - Be one of the radiographers who helped and supported you – aspire to be one of the inspirational.

• Paul Matthews

  Paul is an advance practice reporting radiographer providing definitive reports  on appendicular and axial skeleton and chest x-rays, together with  management and leadership, education and service development for reporting  and his wider diagnostic imaging department team. Originally completing an  undergraduate degree in diagnostic radiography at Kingston & St George’s  University of London, then practicing in plain film radiography, computed  tomography, theatres and fluoroscopy.

  Subsequently he completed a post  graduate diploma in appendicular and axial skeleton reporting and post graduate certificate in chest reporting at Canterbury Christ Church University.

  Paul is a SoR union learning representative and practice educator. A clinical link between high education institutions and clinical practice placement site, Paul has also delivered lectures, teaching and training on both undergraduate and postgraduate radiography courses and for wider multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.

  Paul maintains an interest in continuous improvement as well as current and emerging professional issues and contributed to the SoR artificial intelligence working party.

• Yasmin McQuinlan

  Yasmin trained dual trained as a Dosimetrist and Radiotherapist in New Zealand. She worked clinically in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, both the public and private sector.

  Yasmin became more interested in research and how the technology can be better integrated into the clinic for the benefit of clinicians and patients. While living in London she was a Research Radiotherapist at DeepMind for Google, working on AI auto segmentation for Head and Neck cancer patients.

  Yasmin is a Research Dosimetrist at Mirada Medical, Oxford, UK. She is contributing to the development and improvement deep learning auto segmentation. She also retains a position at Guys' and St Thomas' NHS Hospital in London as a Research Dosimetrist, driving a research collaboration as a part of the London Medical Imaging & AI Centre for Value-Based Healthcare Consortium.

• Wendy Town

  Wendy Town qualified as a Diagnostic Radiographer at the University of Hertfordshire in 2005 and went on to undertake a post graduate certificate in Medical Imaging at Bradford University in 2009. Wendy has worked as a Senior Radiographer undertaking training in a variety of different modalities with a specialist interest in Nuclear Medicine (NM) and Computered Tomography (CT).

  Over the last 10 years Wendy has been working closely with the RIS, PACS and future Radiology system developments for Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust. Her job role has expanded and become an essential part of the Radiology team. Wendy enjoys the challenges that her role in department brings. Wendy has to work closely with external companys bridging the gap between supplier and customer.

  In 2019 Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust had an exciting opportunity to work as early adapters with a Chest Artificial Intelligence company. Wendy had the opportunity to help test and develop the system. This also included developing a new exciting Lung pathway workflow for same day CT imaging.

  In 2020 Wendy was involved in the CQC Sandbox meeting to review processes and governance of our Chest AI software. Since the first Artificial Intelligence (AI) project this has opened up more opportunities for service support and development. Wendy is currently working with three permanent AI solutions and envisages the service will take on more AI to help aid the reporting turnaround and service demand.

  In 2021 Wendy was invited to take part in the Radiology Quality Standards review and successfully submitted a standard incorporating AI and the governance process surround it. Wendy enjoys IT and working with new systems and developing workflows. In her spare time she enjoys relaxing with a book, gardening and playing computer games.

• Richard Tucker

  Richard qualified as a Diagnostic Radiographer from the University of Derby in 1997. He has been working clinically for over 20 years Richard started work in Nottingham University Hospitals, NHS Trust in 1997 and has undertaken various roles in the radiology department. These roles range from radiographer, reporting radiographer, MRI radiographer, Suptindentant radiographer and practice development radiographer to his current role as radiographer clinical lead.

  He has also undertaken secondments as assistant head of service and externally as AHP lead for Health Education England east midlands. In 2009, Richard joined the University of Derby as an associated lecturer and is now a part-time lecturer on undergraduate and postgraduate courses radiography courses. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has undertaken conference presentations at a local and national level.

  Richard has a particular interest in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies from an educational and clinical perspective. He is currently undertaking a PhD in artificial intelligence and looking at how artificial intelligence can be applied for radiographers. Richard maintains a keen interest in current professional issues through advanced practice work and education/lifelong learning.

• Dr Nicholas Woznitza

  Dr Nick Woznitza is a consultant radiographer, clinical academic and clinical director of the HEE London radiographer reporting programme. Both his clinical practice and research focuses on enhancing and expanding the role of the radiographer, focusing on the intersection of advanced practice, technological innovation and service redesign.

  As co-chair of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) and International Society of Radiographers and Radiologic Technologists (ISRRT) working group on the impact of artificial intelligence on radiography, he led the publication of a joint position statement.

  Nick is an accredited consultant practitioner with the College of Radiographers and advanced practitioner with ASMIRT and was the overall winner at the 2017 Chief Allied Health Professions Officer awards.

• Other Members

  Members most recently joining the group are Sarah Peters

  Our co-opted members of the group are Brian Ellwood, Graham King, Mark Ayears (Association of Technology Providers ( AXREM ) representatives) and Christopher Gibson (SoR Student Member).