Rate My Professor Melanie Penfold

Melanie Penfold is the Principal Radiation Therapist at the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (ABCPTR) in Adelaide, South Australia. She brings more than 15 years of experience as a radiation therapist in public and private health sectors across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Her international roles include clinical practice and serving as a proton therapy application specialist with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Penfold has extensive expertise in establishing radiotherapy treatment centres, including setting up the radiotherapy department at The London Clinic in the UK. She has implemented advanced techniques such as Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR), CyberKnife, and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), contributing significantly to the operational readiness of new facilities.

Penfold is deeply involved in the proton therapy community, holding the position of Chair of the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) Particle Therapy Working Group. She is also a member of the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) Particle Therapy Special Interest Group and participates in the National Comparative Planning Service and National Tripartite Proton Planning Working Group, where she has helped develop proton-to-photon comparative treatment planning guidelines for Australia. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Radiation Therapy) (BMRS(RT)) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) completed in 2018. Her research focuses on proton therapy applications, dosimetry comparisons, and patient-centered care in particle therapy. Key publications include co-authorship of 'Proton-to-photon comparative treatment planning guidelines for the Australian context' (Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2023), 'Dosimetric comparison of gantry and horizontal fixed-beam proton therapy' (2023), 'Single high-energy arc proton therapy with Bragg peak degradation' (2024), 'Proton beam therapy in paediatric cancer: Anticipating the Australian experience' (2023), and lead authorship of 'Establishing a consumer advisory group at the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research' (2024). Through these contributions, Penfold plays a pivotal role in advancing proton therapy infrastructure and clinical practices in Australia, ensuring high-quality cancer treatment options for patients.