Ingham Institute research director Professor Michael Barton will add a golden honour from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZR) to his Order of Australia Medal (OAM).
Prof Barton will be presented with the Gold Medal at the RANZR annual ceremony at the Adelaide Convention Centre this on Friday, October 30 for his outstanding achievements in improving radiotherapy services and treatment for cancer patients.
His work and that of the other fellow researchers will also be the focus of the annual Ingham Institute awards at the end of November where ABC science reporter Sophie Scott will be the MC.
Radiotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses radiation to kill or damage tumours to stop them from growing.
Half of all cancer patients need radiotherapy for cure, improvement in survival or relief from their symptoms.
Professor Barton is the driving force behind the Ingham Institute’s flagship MRI-Linac cancer treatment research and development project housed in the Research Bunker at Liverpool Hospital.
He has achieved a long list of significant milestones in the field of radiation oncology in his roles as research director at the institute, radiation oncologist at the South Western Sydney Local Health District, research leader of the Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CCORE) at Ingham Institute, Liverpool and Campbelltown Hospitals and as Professor of Radiation Oncology at UNSW Australia.
This includes chairing reviews of radiotherapy services and resources throughout Australia and overseas and working with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organisation.
Most recently, Prof Barton played a pivotal role in a special report published in the prominent international medical journal The Lancet that highlighted the poor access to radiotherapy treatment across the globe and a chronic under investment in radiotherapy resources, particularly in developing and low income countries.
Prof Barton said he was delighted to be receiving the RANZCR Gold Medal and was humbled to be considered and recognised for such a prestigious award amongst peers and colleagues.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Australian radiation oncology and cancer treatment is world class,’’ he said ahead of flying to Adelaide to receive the award.[/social_quote]
“I’m delighted to receive such an outstanding recognition in Australian radiation oncology.
“This award is not only a testament of my own work but also the work of my team and colleagues at CCORE, the Ingham Institute, Liverpool and Campbelltown Hospitals for whom I am extremely thankful for their professional skills, commitment and collaboration,” Prof Barton said.
The Ingham Institute chief operating officer, associate professor Greg Kaplan, congratulated Prof Barton for his outstanding work in improving cancer services and care.
“Professor Barton’s long list of achievements are not only improving research outcomes in cancer, they are making a real difference to patient care and treatment,’’ Mr Kaplan said.
“This is an outstanding and very well deserved achievement and demonstrates the talent and excellence within the Ingham Institute’s research team.
“It is exciting to see the world leading cancer research coming from a young medical research institute in the heart of south west Sydney.”
♦ The Ingham Institute’s third annual awards dinner on Friday, November 27 at the Liverpool Catholic Club will be a celebration of the achievements of all of its researchers.
ABC national medical reporter Sophie Scott will be special guest MC for the evening.
The focus of the function will be on all of the institute’s big award winners during the past 12 months.
It will include Prof Minoti Apte, who won the NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year award, and Prof Barton, among others.
