Speaker Biographies

Professor Hashim Ahmed (BM, BCh, PhD, FRCS(Urology)) is Chair of Urology, Imperial College London and a Consultant Urological Surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. An internationally recognised leader in prostate cancer diagnosis and focal therapy, his research focuses on improving the detection and treatment of localised prostate cancer through advanced imaging, minimally invasive interventions, and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Professor Ahmed has led landmark clinical trials that have shaped international practice in prostate cancer diagnosis and focal therapy, while pioneering the clinical adoption of HIFU as an organ-preserving treatment. His work combines clinical innovation with large-scale translational research to advance precision medicine and improve outcomes for patients with urological cancers.

Dr. Martijn F. Boomsma is a radiologist and Research Coordinator at the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, the Netherlands. His research focuses on the clinical translation and implementation of focused ultrasound therapies, advanced imaging technologies, and artificial intelligence in medical imaging. Dr. Boomsma is actively involved in national and international studies on MR-guided focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) for uterine fibroids, painful bone metastases, and prostate cancer, and has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr James Choi (BSE, MS, PhD) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London and Co-Director of Imperial's Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centre of Excellence. He leads the Surgery & Biopsy Laboratory, where his research focuses on developing focused ultrasound technologies for non-invasive surgery, targeted drug delivery, and neuromodulation. His work has been instrumental in advancing ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening to enable the delivery of therapeutics for neurological disorders and brain cancer. Combining expertise in biomedical engineering, acoustics, and translational research, Dr Choi develops innovative image-guided technologies that bridge fundamental science and clinical application. His research aims to expand the therapeutic potential of focused ultrasound and accelerate the translation of non-invasive treatments that improve outcomes for patients with neurological and oncological diseases.

Professor Robin Cleveland (PhD) is Director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. An internationally recognised expert in biomedical ultrasonics, his research spans nonlinear acoustics, cavitation, therapeutic ultrasound, and shock wave technologies. Professor Cleveland's work has advanced the fundamental understanding of focused ultrasound for applications including thermal ablation, transcranial neuromodulation, targeted drug delivery, and lithotripsy, while developing computational and experimental models that underpin safe and effective clinical translation. Working closely with clinicians, engineers, and industry partners, he leads multidisciplinary research that bridges ultrasound physics with patient care, helping to advance the next generation of non-invasive therapies for neurological disease, cancer, and other complex conditions.

Mark Emberton OBE is Professor of Interventional Oncology within the Division of Surgery and Interventional Science at University College London. He is also an Honorary Consultant Urologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where he works as a specialist in prostate cancer. He is a non-executive Board Member of the Whittington Health NHS Trust. From 2015 to 2025 he served as Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at University College London.

His academic work has focused on developing novel diagnostic strategies and new therapies for men with prostate cancer. His research has resulted in the global transformation of both the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways. These have been incorporated into international guidelines.

He has published over 600 peer review papers, holds a large grant portfolio, and lectures widely around the world. He holds numerous international honorary professorships.

Professor Wladyslaw Gedroyc (MBBS, MRCP, FRCR) is a Consultant Radiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and one of the world's pioneers in the clinical translation of MR-guided focused ultrasound. Over the past two decades, he has been instrumental in advancing focused ultrasound from an emerging technology to an established non-invasive treatment across multiple clinical applications. Professor Gedroyc led the world's first MR-guided focused ultrasound treatment for uterine fibroids and the first bilateral focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor, contributing to the adoption of this technology within the NHS. His research spans neurology, oncology, targeted drug delivery, and image-guided therapies, with a focus on expanding the clinical applications of focused ultrasound. As Co-Director of Imperial's Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centre of Excellence, he continues to lead multidisciplinary research that is shaping the future of non-invasive therapeutic ultrasound and improving outcomes for patients worldwide.

Dr. Pierre Gélat (PhD) is Associate Professor in Medical Innovation and Enterprise at University College London and a Principal Investigator within UCL's Ultrasonics Group. His research combines therapeutic ultrasound, computational acoustics, device development, and translational medicine, with a particular focus on overcoming the physical challenges that limit ultrasound delivery to difficult anatomical targets. His work spans high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), transcranial ultrasound, histotripsy, and low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound, including research into its biophysical effects on three-dimensional cancer models. Dr. Gélat is also developing computational approaches to optimise focused ultrasound treatments for conditions including endometriosis. Working across engineering and clinical disciplines, his research aims to translate advances in acoustic modelling and therapeutic ultrasound into precise, non-invasive interventions for patients.

Professor Gail ter Haar, PhD, DSc, has worked at the intersection of focused ultrasound and physics throughout her career, leading the therapeutic ultrasound team at The Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) until her retirement in 2025. Her work has advanced ultrasound-based cancer treatment through device and protocol development, research into immune stimulation, and applications in liver and kidney tumours. In 2014, The ICR at the Royal Marsden Hospital was recognised as the first Focused Ultrasound Centre of Excellence in Europe.

Professor ter Haar is the founding President of the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU). She trained in physics at the University of Oxford, earned a master's degree in medical physics from the University of Aberdeen, and holds a PhD in physics and a DSc in clinical medicine from Oxford. She has received the Focused Ultrasound Foundation Visionary Award and the Institute of Physics Peter Mansfield Silver Medal.

Dr. Reza Haqshenas (PhD) is a Lecturer in Therapeutic Ultrasound in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and a Principal Investigator within UCL's Ultrasonics Group. His research lies at the interface of physical acoustics and biological physics, with a particular focus on understanding acoustic cavitation, bubble nucleation, ultrasound propagation, and their applications in therapeutic ultrasound. His work encompasses computational modelling of transcranial ultrasound, histotripsy, and the development of ultrasound-responsive agents for biomedical imaging and therapy. Dr. Haqshenas also leads research into targeted ultrasound-activated nanodroplets for molecular imaging, including approaches to visualise inflammatory immune cells. Through multidisciplinary collaborations spanning engineering, cancer biology, and women's health, his research seeks to translate fundamental ultrasound physics into new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.

Dr. Emma Harris (MSc, PhD) is a Group Leader at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, where she leads a multidisciplinary research programme focused on the development and clinical translation of advanced ultrasound imaging and therapeutic technologies to improve cancer treatment. Her research aims to enhance the precision, personalisation, and effectiveness of therapy through innovative approaches for characterising the biomechanical and vascular properties of the tumour microenvironment and normal tissues. By understanding how these properties influence treatment response and toxicity, her work seeks to identify predictive imaging biomarkers that can inform clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes. Working across multiple tumour types, her lab uses these data in the development of more effective focused ultrasound approaches to enhance the delivery of therapeutics to the tumour, and in combination with radiation, to improve tumour response to radiation therapies. In close collaboration with clinicians at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, she also leads translational clinical research to test novel imaging technologies for enhancing cancer treatment and monitoring patients for treatment-related side effects.

Dr Ayesha Jameel (DPMSA, MBBS, BSc, FRCR) is a Consultant Academic Neuroradiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and PhD Researcher at Imperial College London, where she specialises in Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) therapies for neurological disorders. Her research to-date ranges from clinical trials, health economics and utilising advanced imaging and computational modelling for treatment optimisation. The overarching aim of her research is to develop a patient-specific approach for brain treatments to improve accuracy and efficiency. Dr Jameel hopes to improve access to non-invasive therapies and is part of the clinical team that developed the UK's first NHS MRgFUS service for essential tremor and will be undertaking the UK's first MRgFUS clinical trial for primary brain tumours this year. As a member of Imperial's Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centre of Excellence, she collaborates across clinical and engineering disciplines to develop innovative, evidence-based approaches that expand the clinical applications of focused ultrasound and improve patient outcomes.

Dr Keaton Jones (BMBS, BMedSci, MSc, DPhil, FRCS) is a Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellow, Consultant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgeon, and Senior Clinical Researcher at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on pancreatic cancer immunology and the development of novel multimodal therapies that combine focused ultrasound, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Dr Jones leads translational research investigating how high-intensity focused ultrasound can remodel the tumour microenvironment and enhance anti-tumour immune responses, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer. By integrating laboratory discovery with early-phase clinical trials, his work is helping to establish new immunotherapeutic strategies for one of the most challenging malignancies to treat.

Dr. Harriet Lea-Banks (MEng, DPhil) is a Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at University College London, where she leads the Faraday Lab and develops focused ultrasound technologies for non-invasive brain therapy. Her research centres on ultrasound-mediated drug delivery and neuromodulation, with particular expertise in ultrasound-responsive nanodroplets engineered to release therapeutic agents or generate acoustic feedback at precise pressure thresholds. Her work spans neurological disease, oncology, hypertension, and neuropsychiatric disorders, including the development of closed-loop transcranial focused ultrasound approaches for personalised neuromodulation. Prior to joining UCL, Dr. Lea-Banks conducted research at Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto, where she developed ultrasound-sensitive agents for targeted neurological therapies. Her research combines acoustics, drug delivery, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering to advance precise, surgery-free treatments for complex diseases.

Professor Christoph Lees (MBBS, MD, FRCOG) is Professor of Obstetrics, Imperial College London and Head of Fetal Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. An internationally recognised expert in fetal medicine and prenatal imaging, his research focuses on improving outcomes for high-risk pregnancies through advanced ultrasound technologies and innovative fetal therapies. Professor Lees is leading the world's first Phase I clinical trial investigating high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) as a non-invasive treatment for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, alongside internationally influential research in fetal growth restriction and pre-eclampsia. His work integrates clinical care with translational research to advance non-invasive therapeutic technologies and improve maternal and fetal health.

Paul joined the Oxford thermal ablation team as a Consultant Radiologist in 2022 and routinely treats lung, liver and kidney tumours using microwave and cryoablation. Utilising previous industry experience in software engineering, Paul has developed a pilot ablation registry (TARGET-UK: The Ablation Registry: Getting Evidence Together). TARGET-UK has been designed with a view to national adoption to generate highly powered multicentre evidence across different tumour types and ablative modalities, for both service improvement and improved patient outcomes by answering relevant research questions. Paul led the TARDOX study, a first-in-human clinical trial of focused ultrasound drug delivery in liver tumours, with results published in Lancet Oncology. Paul is the Clinical Director of the Oxford HIFU service where he is developing the service, and co-director of the Oxford Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centre of Excellence. Working with the University of Oxford, Paul continues to drive forward pivotal clinical research in focused ultrasound. Paul leads the SarcAblate trial which is currently looking at safety, feasibility of HIFU ablation in desmoid tumours and soft tissue sarcomas. He has also developed interest in immunological effects of ablation and is co-supervising a clinical DPhil in device-mediated immunomodulation.

Dr. Sophie Morse (MBBS, PhD) is an Assistant Professor at Imperial College London and a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow leading a multidisciplinary research programme investigating the therapeutic potential of focused ultrasound for neurological disease. Her work combines neuroscience, immunology, biomedical engineering, and advanced imaging to understand how focused ultrasound can modulate immune responses as a preventive and therapeutic strategy against brain diseases. Dr. Morse's research spans preclinical models of brain tumours and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as age-associated cognitive decline with a particular focus on developing non-invasive therapies that can maintain our brain health for as long as possible. Working closely with engineers, clinicians, and translational researchers, she is advancing the clinical application of focused ultrasound to deliver more precise, targeted therapies for patients with currently difficult-to-treat neurological conditions.

Dr. Antonios Pouliopoulos is a Senior Lecturer in Therapeutic Ultrasound in the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King's College London. He received his B.Sc. in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2011, and an M.Sc. in Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine from University College London, United Kingdom, in 2013. He obtained his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Imperial College London, United Kingdom, in 2017. He worked as a research scientist at Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA from 2017 to 2021. He joined King's College London as a Lecturer in 2021, when he founded the Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging & Interventions (QUIIN) lab (www.quiinlab.com), whose mission is to develop the next-generation of imaging and therapeutic applications of ultrasound. His research interests include targeted drug delivery using ultrasound, microbubble dynamics in ultrasound therapy, non-invasive neuromodulation, ultrasound therapy monitoring, and clinical translation of therapeutic ultrasound.

Dr Ian Rivens has 37 years' experience in therapeutic ultrasound, working for Prof. Gail ter Haar and Dr. Emma Harris. He is a state-registered clinical scientist.

He has been involved with the design and development of laboratory equipment including HIFU transducers (single element and phased arrays); quality assurance and calibration of transducers; development of acoustic cavitation detection and data analysis; preclinical imaging (MR and US) to guide and monitor HIFU; preclinical testing of HIFU in vivo in models of cancer and fetal medicine to investigate thermal ablation, vascular occlusion and histotripsy; and most recently with investigating multi-modality treatments combining HIFU with systemically delivered therapeutics such as drugs, radioligands and immunotherapy.

He was pivotally involved in the world's first Phase I clinical trial of HIFU for the treatment of cancer at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (RMNHSFT), the subsequent Phase II clinical trial, the Phase I trials of MRgHIFU for bone tumour pain palliation and recurrent gynaecological cancer also at the RMNHSFT. Most recently, he was part of the ICR/Imperial team that performed the world's first clinical trial investigating the potential for USgHIFU to be used to occlude placental vessels for the treatment of twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

Professor Nader Saffari (PhD) is Professor of Ultrasonics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and leads the internationally recognised UCL Ultrasonics Group. Over the past three decades, his research has advanced the science and clinical translation of therapeutic ultrasound, spanning high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), histotripsy, transcranial ultrasound, ultrasound-mediated drug delivery, and cavitation physics. His team develops computational models, imaging methods, and therapeutic devices that improve the precision, safety, and efficacy of non-invasive ultrasound therapies. Working in close partnership with clinicians and industry, Professor Saffari has played a pivotal role in translating engineering innovation into clinical applications across oncology, neurology, and regenerative medicine. As a leader of the UCL–King's College London Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centre of Excellence, he continues to drive multidisciplinary research that is shaping the future of therapeutic ultrasound.

Professor Maya Thanou is a leading expert in pharmaceutical nanotechnology, at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London. She also holds an adjunct Professorship at the University of South Denmark. She earned her PhD in therapeutic peptide delivery from the Leiden/Amsterdam Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) in 2000 and was awarded the AAPS Award for Excellence in Graduate Research the same year. Following an early career role at Kytogenics Pharmaceuticals, she became a Lecturer in Polymer Therapeutics at Cardiff University. In 2004, she secured a prestigious Dorothy Hodgkin Royal Society Research Fellowship and conducted breakthrough work in cancer gene therapy at Imperial College London. In 2009, Professor Thanou joined King's, where she now holds a professorship. In 2025 she was elected to be the impact and innovation lead for the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research focuses on theranostic nanoparticles and focused-ultrasound-activatables. Supported by EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, Innovate UK, Brain Tumour Charity, and others, her work bridges academia and industry, with over 100 publications, 13k+ citations, and 10 patents. She runs the "Nanolab" that currently hosts 5 ECRs and 7 PhD students. She has founded Apeikon Therapeutics, a King's College London spinout that develops focused ultrasound activatable nanoparticles. She serves as the vice-chair and Industry-Trustee of the British Society for Nanomedicine and edited a Royal Society of Chemistry volume, Theranostics: Image-Guided Drug Delivery.

Prof Wah has been a consultant interventional radiologist (IR) (>22 years). She strongly advocates for Interventional Oncology, IR clinical research and IR training and has a broad leadership portfolio. She holds the IR Professorial chair at the University of Leeds with a strong track record of translating innovative medical technologies into clinical practice: image-guided histotripsy in liver cancer (#Hope4Liver trial, 2021-2022) and image guided renal cancer (Global-First CAIN trial, 2023-2024). She received the prestigious NIHR Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Award (2024-2029) to lead UK IO research and secure global recognition. Nationally, she co-led a minimally invasive and digital technology theme, NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (Leeds, 2024-2029), to evaluate/expedite the early adoption of innovative Med-Tech.

She has an established track record of securing major research funding with a total of £30.44 million secured to date — £16.14 million as Chief Investigator and £26.91 million within the past 5 years. Her academic output includes >100 peer-reviewed publications and >120 published scientific abstracts presented at national/international meetings.

She currently co-supervises three PhD candidates and mentors several early-career IR researchers pursuing NIHR doctoral/advanced fellowship applications. Her leadership roles include national and international positions across the British Society of Interventional Radiology, Royal College of Radiologists, and Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe.

Ludvic Zrinzo is Professor of Functional Neurosurgery at University College London, Head of the UCL Functional Neurosurgery Unit, and Consultant Neurosurgeon at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH. The Unit performs more than half of all stereotactic functional procedures carried out in the UK and is an internationally renowned centre of excellence. Conditions treated include Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, facial pain syndromes and other complex neurological disorders. His research advances image-guided therapies — deep brain stimulation, stereotactic ablation and MRI-guided focused ultrasound — to improve the precision, safety and long-term outcomes of intervention for movement and psychiatric disorders.

Born near Edinburgh in 1950, Valerie grew up in a home which encouraged her always to sing, and play music. After four years study in Manchester, she returned to Edinburgh, working as a classroom music teacher with some freelance flute teaching and performing. Ten years later, after some years of travel and having two children, she moved to Ullapool to take on the role of sole music teacher at the High School. Valerie has had a tremor since childhood, which became particularly noticeable when she was performing. This was often attributed to nerves. The tremor became increasingly worse throughout her 40s and 50s, making her job exceptionally difficult; and causing embarrassment and stress. Eventually, through her own research, she discovered she had Essential Tremor and finally received a formal diagnosis. She discovered MR-guided focused ultrasound in 2020 by a chance watch of a TV news clip and, in 2022, her right hand was treated at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. The treatment has transformed her life and she is hopeful that bilateral treatment might even enable her to play the flute again.

Professor Brian Davidson (MBChB, MD, FRCS) is Professor of Surgery at University College London, Consultant Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplant Surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, and a senior leader within the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). An internationally recognised authority in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, his research spans surgical innovation, clinical trials, translational cancer research, and evidence-based surgery. Professor Davidson has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed publications and has played a leading role in developing national research infrastructure for surgery through the NIHR. His work continues to strengthen the integration of clinical research into surgical practice, improving the evaluation and adoption of innovative technologies for patient care.

Sarah Field is Director of Global Clinical Market Development at FocalTherics (formerly EDAP TMS). She leads the global commercial launch of Focal One® Robotic HIFU for deep rectal endometriosis, one of the first focused ultrasound applications in women's health, and also supports Focal One's established indication in prostate cancer.

Sarah has spent her career in medical device sales and clinical market development, specialising in gynaecological and minimally invasive technologies. She previously led the UK launch of Sonata, a minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids, giving her first-hand experience of bringing new procedures into NHS practice.

Her work sits where clinical evidence, regulation and market access meet. She builds clinician training and ambassador programmes, develops reimbursement and NHS adoption strategies, and works with leading surgeons, radiologists and professional societies to establish new treatment pathways across multiple markets. She works closely with European clinical and institutional partners and the company's US leadership.

Sarah brings a practical view of what it takes to move focused ultrasound from promising technology to routine patient access. She draws on international experience of how other health systems have adopted new technologies, and makes the case that women's health must be part of the UK's FUS ambitions.

Jessica Foley, PhD is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Profound Medical, a commercial-stage medical technology company pioneering customizable, incision-free ultrasound therapies for the treatment of diseased tissue. In this role, she leads cross-functional initiatives that drive corporate growth, cultivate strategic partnerships, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and advance the company's advocacy and philanthropic efforts. A passionate champion for patient-centered care, Dr. Foley created Let's Huddle, Profound's patient advocacy initiative that brings together patients, survivors, caregivers, and allies to expand awareness, education, and support for individuals affected by prostate disease. A healthcare leader with extensive experience spanning medical technology, scientific innovation, and stakeholder engagement, Dr. Foley previously served as Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. There, she oversaw scientific strategy, led alliance-building efforts with external stakeholders including governmental policymakers, regulatory agencies, and disease-specific foundations, and became a prominent voice championing the adoption of focused ultrasound as a transformative non-invasive therapeutic technology. Earlier in her career, Dr. Foley held leadership and scientific roles at Insightec and Medtronic, contributing to the advancement and commercialization of innovative medical technologies. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington.

Daniel Hill has worked for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for nearly six years, the last three of which he has held the post of Deputy Head of Clinical Investigations. He is originally from Australia and obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Queensland University of Technology and worked for the Queensland Government in Brisbane, before moving to London.

Mr Marc Laniado MD FEBU FRCS (Urol) is a Consultant Urological Surgeon specialising in prostate cancer and prostate-preserving treatments. He is Prostate Cancer Lead Clinician at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and chairs the prostate cancer multidisciplinary team at The Princess Grace Hospital in London.

Marc has used high-intensity focused ultrasound to treat prostate cancer since 2005 and was among the earliest UK surgeons to adopt the technique. He now uses robotic HIFU with Focal One as part of a precision pathway combining multiparametric MRI, targeted transperineal biopsy and careful multidisciplinary patient selection. He also offers NanoKnife irreversible electroporation and nerve-sparing robotic prostatectomy, allowing him to advise men across the full range of focal and radical treatment options.

His principal interest is achieving effective cancer control while minimising the effects of treatment on continence, sexual function and quality of life. He is actively involved in teaching, clinical research and the continuing development of focal therapy for appropriately selected men with prostate cancer.

Policy lead for Medical Technology & Innovation with responsibility for the implementation of the Government's inaugural Medical Technology Strategy published February 2023 and commitments under the 10 Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published July 2025. Key initiatives include: Design for Life programme, Innovative Devices Access Pathway, Rules Based Pathway, Value Based Procurement guidance, MedTech Compass comparison system, National Product Information Management system, Reform of £1.6bn Part IX Drug Tariff. Former Chief Procurement Officer at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust – a position held for 21 years – and double winner of the Supply Chain Excellence Award in 2008 and 2021.

Gillian is a clinician by background, with a passion for using evidence to improve care. Her career has covered a breadth of sectors including public health, healthcare, education and social care. She joined NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, in 2001 to establish its clinical guidelines programme. In 2020, she became only its second CEO. She has worked closely with the life science industries, patient organisations, professional societies, academia, plus local and national government across the United Kingdom. She has chaired national and international boards and committees, bringing comprehensive media experience across a range of complex topics. She is now President of the Royal Society of Medicine, chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and a non-executive for the Department of Science Innovation and Technology. She retains her interest in the use of high quality evidence and is a trustee of the Cochrane Collaboration and a Council member of Alive, the international Alliance for Living Evidence. In 2024 she was asked by government to lead an independent review into the roles of Physician and Anaesthesia Associates and is now supporting adoption of the recommendations.

Rami Madbouli is the Director of Market Access UK & EU, HistoSonics, the US company behind the Edison™ system — a non-invasive, non-ionising, non-thermal focused ultrasound platform for the mechanical destruction of liver tumours. He leads the company's UK and European market access strategy, navigating regulatory, reimbursement and NHS adoption pathways.

Before joining HistoSonics, Rami spent seven years in central Government at the Department of Health and Social Care as a policymaker and Civil Servant. As a Private Secretary to Health Ministers through the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he covered portfolios including NHS Test & Trace, International Health, UK Life Sciences and NHS Commercial & Finance. He then moved into MedTech adoption policy, leading flagship innovation initiatives including the Innovative Devices Access Pathway. Rami was responsible for launching the National HealthTech Access Programme, an ambitious and key commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan and UK Industrial Strategy.

Having worked across both policy and industry, Rami has first-hand insight into the levers that shape the adoption of innovation in the NHS. He is a firm believer in bringing more entrepreneurialism into the public sector and holds an MBA from Imperial College London.

Dave Quigley serves as the Senior Vice President Clinical Affairs & Service for Sonablate Corp., based in Charlotte, NC. He is one of the original founders of Focus Surgery, Inc, founded in 1996 — the company that is now Sonablate Corp. — giving him over 30 years' experience with HIFU and LOFU technology. He oversees the clinical specialist team that manages training and certification of over 500 physician users globally, as well as the technical service team that maintains and services hundreds of systems installed worldwide. He is also responsible for clinical research and publication strategy and registry sponsor support, currently spanning two registries: the UK-based HEAT registry, with 2,800 Sonablate HIFU prostate cancer patients that recently published their 10-year cancer outcomes, and the new SonaFUSION global registry that will showcase 25–30 US and Asian academic centers with over 3,000 prostate cancer and BPH patients.

Nick Ross is a veteran broadcaster and journalist, an international conference moderator and a campaigner. For BBC Radio 4 he has presented flagship news programme, Today, World at One, PM and The World Tonight – as well as the long-running phone-in, Call Nick Ross, and the inquiry series, The Commission. He was launch presenter of the UK's first early morning TV show, BBC Breakfast Time, Sixty Minutes and the consumer series Watchdog. He has also presented A Week in Politics for Channel 4, as well as the BBC's party conference coverage and Westminster with Nick Ross. He remains best known for his twenty-five years on the crime witness appeal show, Crimewatch. Away from broadcasting, Nick has been closely involved in bioethics, the NHS, medical research and the promotion of UK science, including the Campaign for Evidence-Based Healthcare. He was awarded a CBE for his services to charity and crime prevention and remains a visiting professor at the UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science (which he founded), is an honorary doctor of Queen's University Belfast and an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons.

Dr Rafael Sanchez-Salas is an internationally recognized urologic oncologist and a leading expert in image-guided focal therapy and precision surgery for localized prostate cancer. Graduating as Valedictorian from the Universidad de los Andes (Venezuela), he completed his surgical and urological training at the Universidad Central de Venezuela before pursuing competitive international fellowships at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (USA), Clínica Santa María (Chile), and L'Institut Mutualiste Montsouris (France).

From 2011 to 2021, Dr Sanchez-Salas served on the faculty of L'Institut Montsouris, where he advanced robotic surgery and partial gland ablation techniques while training numerous fellows. In 2021, he joined McGill University, where he leads the multi-energy focal therapy program and holds the Stephen Jarislowsky Chair of Urology. His clinical and research expertise spans advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities, including High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, irreversible electroporation (IRE), targeted transperineal prostate biopsies, and MRI-US fusion imaging. He is also a member of the Cerno Health Clinical Governance Board.

Dr Sanchez-Salas has authored over 300 indexed publications advancing the field of urologic oncology. He serves as the Co-Director of the McGill Urologic Oncology Fellowship and is a frequently invited faculty member for major international organizations, including the AUA, EAU, SIU, CAU, and the European School of Urology.

He holds significant global leadership positions within the urological community, currently serving as President of the Focal Therapy Society, Treasurer of the Société Internationale d'Urologie (SIU), and Scientific Director/Academic Activity Officer of the Confederación Americana de Urología (CAU). He is an elected member of the prestigious Association of Academic European Urologists (AAEU).