NHRP Academy: Meet our Community – Simon Lowes
Thursday July 2, 2026
Dr Simon Lowes, is a Consultant Breast Radiologist and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University. His research focusses on imaging across the cancer pathway.
We spoke with Simon about his career journey so far – from completing his Pharmacology degree to helping establish the Northern Centre for Breast Research, why his research matters and how NHRP Academy has supported him.
In this piece, Simon reflects on the opportunities, challenges and motivations that have shaped his career, while offering inspiration and advice for others considering a clinical academic path.
Can you tell us about yourself and your research career?
I started my career with a degree in pharmacology in Aberdeen, followed by a PhD in Newcastle. It was during my undergraduate project that I became interested in research, which is what led me to pursue a PhD. After that, I spent almost four years working in postdoctoral roles in the USA, UK, and Sweden.
During my last job, in Sweden, I decided I wanted to study medicine. It was something I had been considering on and off for some time, as I felt I needed to bridge the gap between the lab and the clinic. I applied to medical school in Newcastle – my hometown – and completed the four‑year graduate entry course. After graduating, and doing my foundation training I then went on to train in clinical radiology.
When I was looking into starting radiology training, I was told that there wouldn’t be any opportunities for research in radiology in the region. Radiology just wasn’t considered a research-active specialty in the North East at the time. This was a huge shame, since imaging is at the centre of modern healthcare. However, towards the end of my training, an NIHR‑funded clinical lectureship opportunity came up. I jumped at the opportunity as a way to get me back into research.
After that, I was fortunate to secure a consultant post that included some funded research time, and things really took off from there.
What is your current clinical and research focus?
My PhD and my first post-doctoral jobs were lab-based and focused on transport proteins, which are channels in the outer surface of cells that take up and pump out a wide range of substances such as nutrients, drugs, and toxins. They are important in health and disease, and can influence how the body handles drugs. Clinically, my work is very different. I’m a breast radiologist, specialising in breast imaging across the entire cancer pathway – including screening and other diagnostic imaging techniques to image-guide procedures such as biopsies, pre-operative localisation and minimally invasive interventions such as breast cancer excision. It’s quite a hands-on specialty, which I love.
Most of my current research is clinically based and focused on breast cancer imaging. However, I’ve also come full circle in some ways. I supervise PhD students who work on transport proteins, and I’ve linked that work with imaging. Specifically, I’m interested in how imaging agents and steroid hormones involved in breast cancer progression are taken up by breast cancer cells. Although it might sound quite disparate, the lab‑based and clinical research actually tie together very well. If we can understand more about how imaging tests work at a cellular and molecular level, it can help us to develop better imaging tests, and even work towards more personalised tests, for specific disease subtypes.
Why is this research important and what impact could it have?
Working towards a more minimally invasive approach towards managing breast cancer is not only better for patients, it can also be better for the healthcare system. I’m particularly interested in minimally invasive breast cancer excision as part of a wider move towards treatment de‑escalation. These techniques can reduce hospital stays, avoid general anaesthetic, minimise cosmetic impact and deliver cost savings. When women are offered minimally invasive options within trials, they overwhelmingly prefer them and are often disappointed if they’re randomised to surgery. That really highlights the difference this work can make to patients’ experiences.
But research can be impactful in many ways, even without dedicated clinical trials. One of the biggest challenges in breast imaging, and in medicine more broadly, is funding. At the same time, we also generate huge amounts of data through routine clinical care. In many areas of our work, national guidance and clinical pathways aren’t fully evidence‑based, and that presents a real opportunity.
By analysing existing clinical data we have at our fingertips, we can effectively “do research for free.” It takes time, but it allows us to generate evidence that can directly influence national guidance. We’ve already had work from our centre cited in national guidance, which means it has had a direct and meaningful impact on patient care.
You recently helped establish the Northern Centre for Breast Research. Can you tell us more about that?
Yes, last year, with the support of my Trust and the Research and Development team, I set up the Northern Centre for Breast Research. The aim is to bring together all the disciplines involved in the breast cancer pathway – from diagnosis through to treatment and follow‑up.
We have representation from imaging, surgery, oncology, and breast cancer nurse specialists, and we’re working towards involving pathology in the near future. We’re also keen to have patient representative involvement as well. The goal is to develop and promote high‑quality research, establish ourselves as a centre of excellence, and ultimately improve patient care.
A big part of this is collaboration. We want to send a clear message that we’re research‑active and open to working with partners such as Newcastle University, other NHS trusts, the NIHR, and industry partners.
How have NHRP Academy supported you?
I first got in touch with NHRP Academy when setting up the Northern Centre for Breast Research, as I wanted to strengthen links with the NIHR and increase research activity in the region. Since then, their support has been invaluable.
I’ve been exploring ways to secure more protected research time, which is particularly important given the shortage of research‑active radiologists, not just in the region, but across the whole of the UK. The Academy team have been a huge source of information, helping me understand what opportunities are available and guiding me through the process.
Having access to people who have supported clinicians through successful applications makes a huge difference. It’s inspiring and gives you the confidence to apply. The team also provide practical support, such as reviewing applications and offering guidance on what makes them stronger.
I’ve also been involved in providing interview practice for clinicians applying for doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships. I wasn’t aware that this kind of support existed earlier in my career, but it can make a real difference to success rates. Overall, the Academy is a fantastic regional resource.
You were awarded the Royal College of Radiologists’ Roentgen Professorship. What does that involve?
I was awarded the Royal College of Radiologists’ Roentgen Professorship last year (2025), and the post formally started on 1 January 2026. The Professorship is named after Wilhelm Roentgen, who discovered X-rays in 1895. One key part of the role is increasing radiologists’ engagement with research, including visiting training schemes across the country to talk about the importance of research, deliver training on research skills, and advocate for research within radiology.
The need for this also aligns closely with a national survey I recently carried out with the Royal College of Radiologists, which looked at consultant research activity, identified the scale of the problem and explored ways to better support research going forward.
What advice would you give to clinicians who are thinking about getting involved in research?
First and foremost: go for it. Finding time is always a challenge, regardless of career stage, but research makes a huge difference – not just to patient care and outcomes, but also to your own job satisfaction.
It is also my belief that being involved in research makes you a better clinician. You develop a deeper understanding of your specialty and the evidence behind what you do. If you’re interested in research, it can be really valuable to find a mentor, someone who can offer advice and guidance.
Organisations like NHRP also provide excellent signposting, not just to funding opportunities but also to other clinicians who are research‑active and willing to share their experiences.
What achievement are you most proud of?
I would have to say the Roentgen Professorship. When I chose radiology, I accepted that research opportunities probably wouldn’t be available to me. To go from that position to being recognised by the Royal College of Radiologists for research achievement and advocacy is something I’m incredibly proud of.
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About NHRP Academy
NHRP Academy supports healthcare professionals to develop as researchers and clinical academics through mentoring, skills development and tailored career guidance. Our role in creating a collaborative regional environment means clinicians can share insight, experience and practical support, and the whole research community benefits. If you’re interested in advancing your research career or exploring how the Academy can support you, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to find out more: nrhp@newcastle.ac.uk.