A Clatterbridge consultant and cancer researcher has been given an award to mark a professional lifetime of work in healthcare.
Prof Isabel Syndikus, who holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Liverpool, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by her colleagues at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust due to her “being an integral part of the Clatterbridge team for almost 30 years”.
She was presented with the recognition at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Staff Excellence Awards 2024 for her hard work, dedication and commitment to patients and the NHS spanning nearly 40 years.
After completing her medical studies in Germany, Prof Syndikus worked in general medicine for four years before starting oncology training in 1990 at the Royal Marsden Hospital and the University College Hospital in London. She spent a year as research fellow at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, Canada, before being appointed as a Consultant in Clinical Oncology at Clatterbridge.
Prof Syndikus specialises in radiotherapy for haematological malignancies (lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia) and urological malignancies (bladder and prostate cancer). Since 1998, she has been the Clinical Lead for the Urology group at Clatterbridge and has led the Urology Network Group for many years. She is Clatterbridge’s Director for Medical Education and is involved with undergraduate and postgraduate education.
Prof Syndikus has huge research experience, including as chief investigator for the PIVOTALboost and CHHiP clinical trials. Clatterbridge was consistently top recruiter nationally for PIVOTALboost and these trials have been changing radiotherapy standard treatments in the UK and are highly valued internationally. PIVOTALboost has just recently closed to new patient after the study recruited 2,232 people across 41 trial sites in the UK. Prof Syndikus and her team enrolled more than 400 people since the study launched in January 2018.
Dr Sheena Khanduri, Medical Director at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said: “We are delighted for Prof Syndikus. As well as being a valued consultant, she is a talented and experienced cancer researcher who has helped to push forward the boundaries of medical knowledge in her chosen area of work. She is as valued leader in prostate cancer radiotherapy research and her expertise is sought after by the next generation of oncology students through her association with the University of Liverpool.”
Prof Syndikus said: “I am very proud and delighted to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. I have worked with wonderful colleagues (past and present) which I admire and value for their expertise and friendship. It has been a privilege to look after my patients for so many years.
“I have been fortunate to work in an oncology centre, which has given me the opportunity to improve treatments, lead teams and push forward the boundaries of our knowledge of cancer treatments.”