Academics launched the City St George’s Research in Radiography Radiology Radiotherapy Group (CRRA3G) at a special event
By Mr George Wigmore (Senior Communications Officer), Published
Academics from City St George’s, University of London launched the City St George’s Research Radiographer Group (CRRA3G) at a special event in early September. The occasion brought together researchers, clinicians, industry, policymakers and students to celebrate radiography research and chart the future of the profession, including person-centred care, the deployment of AI in healthcare and emerging workforce challenges.
The day opened with a welcome address from Professor Lucy Dipper, Associate Dean for Engagement, Enterprise and Employability in the School of Health & Medical Sciences at City St George’s, who outlined the benefits of the new integrated School following the merger with St George’s, as well as the institution’s role in fostering global engagement, employability, research and education.
Dr Christina Malamateniou, CRRA3G Director and Associate Professor of Technology Enabled Care in Radiography at City St George’s, then introduced the new CRRA3G group and outlined the day’s programme. She said:
“Welcome to the launch event for CRRA3G. We are very grateful to have so many people from different departments and schools of the University, as well as international colleagues from many European countries, as well as Australia, USA and Hong Kong, to celebrate the launch of the group. Our values are integrity, diversity and resilience. People are everything in CRRA3G as they make things happen, and we have a strong commitment to multidisciplinary, multi-agency research and to working collaboratively.
“We have built over the last few years expertise in AI, digital twinning and new technologies in medical imaging and oncology, but also in person-centred care, workforce development, leadership and educational research. We are world leaders on AI in radiography, including AI-led innovation, governance, clinical implementation, and the impact on professional identity and leadership models. A new global textbook for AI literacy for radiographers is also coming out later this year by our team and global network of collaborators.”
Chaired by Dr Malamateniou and Professor Susan Shelmerdine (GOSH), the first session focused on emerging technologies in medical imaging and radiotherapy. Involving academics from City St George’s, topics included an overview of AI governance and ethics (Mr Nikos Stogiannos), leadership roles for radiographers in artificial intelligence (Mrs Gemma Walsh), the integration of AI into academic practice (Dr Benard Ohene Botwe), and digital twinning in MRI settings (Mr Julien Greggio). Speakers highlighted both the potential and the responsibilities of harnessing AI within healthcare.
Chaired by Professor Naomi Shiner, session two shifted to person-centred care in radiography. Presentations explored antenatal imaging (Dr Emily Skelton), inclusive research approaches for autistic and ADHD participants (Mr Ben Potts), patient-centred applications of AI (O’henmaa Cofie), and treatment preferences in oncology (Dr Liam Mannion). Discussions underscored the importance of placing patient voices and diverse experiences at the centre of radiographic practice.
The morning concluded with keynote presentations under the theme “Research at the heart of everything we do”. Dr Marcus Thomas Jackson, Chair of the College of Radiographers’ Board of Trustees , emphasised research as a driver of clinical change, while Professor Jonathan McNulty, Editor in Chief of Radiography, discussed the role of dissemination in achieving impact. Professor Fragkiskos Filippaios, SenSS Director at the University of Essex, described how funding opportunities can transform social sciences research and our society, and Dr Nick Drey, PhD Programme Director at City St George’s School of Health & Medical Sciences, reflected on the pivotal role of doctoral students in building research capacity. Dr Patrizia Cornachione, President of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies, closed the session with a focus on the need for international collaborations to advance the research agenda.
After lunch, it was the Radband (CRRA3G PhD student group) drummers, who expertly created and executed the group’s anthem using sounds drawn from radiography and musical instruments the team plays [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtT5NzSqUIo].
Afterwards the attention turned to the sponsors session on excellence in radiography education, research and clinical practice. Talks in this session featured contributions from Guerbet, Perspectum, Collective Minds and Corsmed, each showcasing how innovation and partnership are advancing the profession.
Professional issues were addressed in the afternoon’s fifth session. Speakers examined a wide range of topics, from supporting students in practice placements (Dr Mark Ngo) and defibrillator readiness in educational settings (Mr Jack Pearse) to initiatives for autistic patients in radiography (Mrs Ellie Butterfield) and findings from the Global Radiography Workforce Survey (Ms Elona Dybelli). The session also heard about patient experiences of AI in their care through the PAVE.AI project (Dr Stamatia Papathanasiou), reflecting CRRA3G’s commitment to exploring the intersection of technology and patient wellbeing.
The day closed with a forward-looking discussion led by the CRRA3G core team on the future direction and research priorities of the group in dissemination, research grants and societal impact, followed by refreshments and networking.
The launch of CRRA3G reflects the University’s commitment to advancing radiography through research, innovation and collaboration. By bringing together leading voices across academia, clinical practice, policy and industry, the event established a strong foundation for future projects that will place radiographers at the forefront of healthcare research and practice.
CRRA3G would like to acknowledge the vital support by professional services such as the events team, marketing and finance for their key contributions, the research centre manager Ms Szilvia Karic and the Divisional Administrator Mr Craig Hill for making this event happen. Furthermore, the team extends its gratitude to everyone at the Deanery and the Senior Leadership Team of the School of Health and Medical Sciences for their continued support and endorsement of “all things research”, with special thanks to Associate Dean for Research Professor Steve Gillard for his kind guidance. Finally, all the generous sponsors who provided ample funds to deliver an excellent event on the day: Guerbet, Perspectum, Collective Minds, Corsmed, AXREM, British Institute of Radiology, Skilled Personnel, and Virtual Medical Coaching.
More about CRRA3G can be found here: https://researchcentres.citystgeorges.ac.uk/research-radiographer-group
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