Natalka Suchowerska

Associate Professor Natalka Suchowerska is a medical physicist in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney, holding a full-time tenured position and serving as co-director of VectorLAB, a multidisciplinary laboratory focused on translating emerging technologies for cancer treatment. She earned her PhD in medical physics from the University of Sydney following a career in clinical physics. She also leads medical physics research at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, bridging clinical radiotherapy, research, education, and practice. Her research specializations include radiation dosimetry, scintillation detectors, small field dosimetry, brachytherapy, and radiation biology, with applications in radiation therapy to improve cancer patient outcomes through novel technologies and fundamental science. VectorLAB enables collaborations among physicists, engineers, biostatisticians, and clinicians across health services, sectors, and industry.

Suchowerska has authored over 60 publications in the past decade, with highly cited works including 'In vivo dosimeters for HDR brachytherapy: A comparison of a diamond detector, MOSFET, TLD, and scintillation detector' (Medical Physics, 2007) and 'A plastic scintillation dosimeter for high dose rate brachytherapy' (Physics in Medicine & Biology, 2006). Her contributions have earned prestigious awards, such as honorary membership in the European Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ESTRO) in 2021—the first Australian physicist to receive this honor—the 2019 NHMRC Marshall and Warren Award for innovative research, IPEM Roberts Prizes in 2007 and 2017, Robinson Prizes for biomedical engineering innovation in 2018 and 2020, and recognition as one of Australia's 100 Women of Influence in 2016. She has mentored students in diverse medical professions, served as Chief Examiner in Physics for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, and as Vice-President of the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine. Her work includes developing research technologies toward commercial products and holds a patent portfolio.

Professional Email: natalka.suchowerska@sydney.edu.au