Ian Kunkler

Ian Kunkler is a Professor of Clinical Oncology and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the University of Edinburgh, affiliated with the Edinburgh Cancer Centre (ECRC) and Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences. He leads national and international clinical trials in breast radiotherapy, including the BIG 2.04 MRC SUPREMO and BIG 3.07 DCIS Boost trials.

• Adjuvant radiotherapy for early breast cancer
• Hypoxic tumor microenvironment targeting
• Rare cancer outcomes research in Europe
• Implantable biosensor development for personalized cancer treatment

His research focuses on optimizing radiation delivery through real-time tumor oxygenation monitoring and drug-radiation combinations targeting pH regulatory mechanisms in cancer cells. Recent work includes long-term follow-up studies of breast conservation trials and collaborations on the EPSRC IMPACT project with interdisciplinary teams from engineering, chemistry, and biology.

Scientific contributions include:

• French Government Research Fellowship
• EEC Research Fellowship
• Editor of Walter and Miller’s Textbook of Radiotherapy
• Past President of British Oncological Association

Current projects involve evaluating biosensors for hypoxia detection in murine and veterinary models, with clinical translation efforts in radiation dose personalization. He supervises PhD students James Meehan and Mark Gray, while collaborating with institutions across Australia, Belgium, Poland, China, and Europe.