Dundee has an international reputation in breast imaging research, and the University of Dundee is at the cutting edge of cancer research. The University works in collaboration with NHS Tayside to develop this research and provide excellent care to breast cancer patients and their families.

Our research team has a programme of research which aims to advance the understanding of breast cancer biology and the sciences of breast imaging.

Your support will allow our scientists and clinicians at the University of Dundee and Ninewells Hospital and Medical School to make advances in breast imaging research and help current and future breast cancer patients. Thank you.

The team

Dr Sarah Savaridas, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Breast Radiologist

Having graduated from Edinburgh Medical School, Sarah completed her medical and radiology training in the North East of England and Scotland, before undertaking a research doctorate with the University of Dundee. Her broad research interests are in new breast imaging technologies, and how these may be best used within the NHS to improve the patient pathway and experience. She has conducted research comparing how well contrast breast tomosynthesis (CE-DBT) shows tumour response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared with breast MRI. Results have been promising with patient experience better for the new technology CE-DBT. She is also exploring how computer analysis may be used to extract more detail from contrast mammogram (CESM) images to improve the diagnostic and treatment pathway for patients.

Dr Patsy Whelehan, Senior Research Radiographer and Consultant Radiographer

Patsy has a background in clinical mammography, including advanced clinical practice, quality assurance, education and management. She has been a researcher at the University of Dundee's Medical School and in NHS Tayside since 2009 and is now Consultant Radiographer in breast imaging at NHS Tayside, while continuing a part-time research role. Key research interests are women's experiences of mammography, clinical image quality in mammography, and reducing inequalities in breast cancer screening. She is also involved in clinical research involving new breast imaging technologies, such as contrast enhanced mammography.

She has experience of systematic reviewing, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods. She recently passed her PhD viva, and her thesis work included the development of new measures of patient experience in mammography. Current committee memberships are Symposium Mammographicum (Chair of Trustees, member of conference organising committee); EUMAM (European Expert Group for Mammography); CAHPR (Council for Allied Health Research) North of Scotland steering committee, and the Scottish special interest group for breast imaging radiographers (vice-chair)

Dr Violet Warwick, Research Programme Manager

Violet studied at the University of Edinburgh where she gained a degree in Biochemistry and a PhD. She received a solid grounding in clinical trials management and data management at the Cancer Research UK & University College London Cancer Trials Centre. She has managed the Scottish Health Informatics Programme and gained a Masters degree in Business intelligence. Violet currently manages a programme of research which aims to advance the understanding of breast cancer biology and the sciences of breast imaging. This involves working closely with investigators to ensure the implementation of all aspects of the studies, including research governance, ethical and regulatory approvals, developing and maintaining trial databases, documentation and reporting. Having completed a recent postgraduate certificate in Data Science at the University of Dundee, Violet is working to bring data science techniques to bear in solving research problems.

Dr Kulsam Ali, Project Manager

Kulsam's expertise is in clinical trial management. Prior to joining the University of Dundee, Kulsam worked at the Cancer Research UK & University College London Cancer Trials Centre in London, where she managed multi-centre randomised controlled trials.

Mrs Jane Macaskill, Consultant Breast Surgeon and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer

Jane undertook clinical training in Dundee and Edinburgh, and has undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications from the University of Dundee and University of Edinburgh. Her specific areas of research interest include understanding how breast cancers grow or return despite treatment. This can mean using the period of time between diagnosis of breast cancer and surgery to investigate the ways that drugs work on breast cancers, and includes both imaging and laboratory testing of breast cancers. These types of studies are really valuable in understanding how drugs do or do not work on cancers and in developing new drugs treatments for breast cancer .

Ms Malavika Rajeev , Data Entry Coordinator

Malavika has gained a Bachelors degree in Biotechnology from Manipal University and a Masters degree in Human Clinical Embryology and Assisted Conception from the University of Dundee. She is now involved in data entry of projects within the Breast Imaging Research Group at the University of Dundee.