Dr Nick Courtier
Senior Lecturer: Radiotherapy
- courtiern@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 206 87566
- 13.16, 13th Floor, Eastgate House, 35-43 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0AB
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am an experienced researcher and teacher of radiotherapy & oncology and am a registered therapeutic radiographer. I teach on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and speak at international events. I have strong professional links with Society & College of Radiographers and am Associate Editor of Radiography journal.
I am involved in funded research projects, and am experienced as a doctoral supervisor with experience of PhD examination in the UK and overseas.
My research expertise is primarily in quantitative and mixed methods, which often involve multi-disciplinary collaboration and patient participation. I am interested in toxicity associated with radiotherapy treatment and supportive interventions to help people with cancer live more active and fulfilling lives. Inequalities in access to, experience of, and outcomes from cancer care forms a second research area.
I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students in areas relating to:
- Theory and practice of radiotherapy and radiography
- Experience of cancer treatment
- Inequalities in cancer care
Biography
My professional background is therapeutic radiography. I have been a lecturer in Radiotherapy & Oncology at Cardiff University since 2011. I completed my PhD in 2010 – Fatigue during radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer and its relationship to irradiated volumes, IL-6sR and anxiety and depression: towards a prognostic model.
Honours and awards
- Associate Editor of Radiography 2019
- Future Leaders in Cancer Research Academy 2018
- Enriching Student Life Award nominated 2018
- Wales Radiography Team of the Year 2016
- Fellow of Higher Education Academy 2013
- Research Capacity Building Collaboration PhD Fellowship 2006
- BSc Radiotherapy & Oncology 1st class Honours
Professional memberships
- Society and College of radiographers (SCoR) (since 2006)
- Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) (since 2006)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA (since 2013)
- Breast Radiotherapy Interest Group (BRIG) (since 2011)
Committees and reviewing
Associate Editor of Radiography journal
Grant reviewer for:
- College of Radiographers Industrial Partnership Scheme (2011–present)
- College of Radiographers PhD Fellowship (2017–present)
- American Society of Radiologic Technologists Foundation CoR International Collaborative Clinical Research Grant 2019
Journal reviewer for:
- Supportive Care in Cancer
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
- Radiotherapy in Practice
- Psycho-Oncology
Member of
- Member of Welsh Cancer Centre Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Group (2019–present)
- College of Radiographers Research Committee (2011–2016)
- Trial Management Group for the Phase I-II Isotoxic Accelerated Radiotherapy (ISTART) Trial (2010–2018)
- Steering Group for Tenovus Cancer Callback Project (2012–2015)
- Breast Radiotherapy Interest Group (BRIG) (2011–present)
Publications
2022
- Courtier, N. and McNulty, J. P. 2022. What Radiography offers to therapeutic radiographers/radiation therapists. Radiography 28(2), pp. 253-254. (10.1016/j.radi.2022.03.007)
- Courtier, N., Ou, H., Weightman, A. and Edwards, L. 2022. Cancer screening in Europe - rapid review 1 - What is the evidence for extending exisitng screening programmes to lung, prostate, gastric, ovarian abd oesophageal cancers?. Science Advice for Policy by European Academies.
- Ou, H., Courtier, N., Weightman, A. and Edwards, L. 2022. Cancer screening in Europe - rapid review 2 - To what extent do more risk-stratified approaches to screening programmes for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers impact on uptake, efficacy, harm-benefit and costeffectiveness?. Science Advice for Policy by European Academies.
- Ou, H., Courtier, N., Weightman, A. and Edwards, L. 2022. Cancer screening in Europe - rapid review 3 - What is the evidence from recent trials and reviews for the efficacy, harm-benefit and cost-effectiveness of new technologies in cancer screening and early diagnosis?. Science Advice for Policy by European Academies.
- Courtier, N., Armes, J., Smith, A., Radley, L. and Hopkinson, J. 2022. Targeted self-management limits fatigue for women undergoing radiotherapy for early breast cancer: results from the ACTIVE randomised feasibility trial. Supportive Care in Cancer 30, pp. 389-400. (10.1007/s00520-021-06360-0)
2021
- Csontos, J. et al. 2021. Cancer memory mate: implementing a healthcare innovation to support the management of cancer treatments and side effects in people with memory problems in South Wales, UK. Presented at: 2021 UKONS Annual Conference, Virtual, 11-13 November 2021.
- Knapp, K. M. and Courtier, N. 2021. The future role of radiographers. Radiography 27(S1), pp. S1-S2. (10.1016/j.radi.2021.08.005)
- Pattinson, R. L. et al. 2021. Patient-reported outcome measures in dermatology: a systematic review. Acta Dermato-Venereologica 101(9), article number: adv00559. (10.2340/00015555-3884)
- Courtier, N., Brown, P., Mundy, L., Pope, E., Chivers, E. and Williamson, K. 2021. Expectations of therapeutic radiography students in Wales about transitioning to practice during the Covid-19 pandemic as registrants on the HCPC temporary register. Radiography 27(2), pp. 316-321. (10.1016/j.radi.2020.09.001)
- Wuni, A., Courtier, N. and Kelly, D. 2021. Developing a policy framework to support role extension in diagnostic radiography in Ghana. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 52, pp. 112-120. (10.1016/j.jmir.2020.09.013)
- Razak-Wuni, A., Kelly, D. and Courtier, N. 2021. The case for radiographer reporting in Ghana. Presented at: 21st International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) World Congress, Dublin, 20-22 August 2021.
- Judge, A., Feuz, C., Evans, D. and Courtier, N. 2021. Canadian and UK experiences and opinions of a safety strap designed to secure patients during radiotherapy. Presented at: 21st International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) World Congress, Dublin, 20-22 August 2021.
2020
- Hopkinson, J., King, A., Courtier, N., Milton, R. and Elias, J. 2020. Potential for identification of memory problems in the cancer clinic to enable improved treatment experience and outcomes: mixed methods case study research. European Journal of Oncology Nursing 48, article number: 101777. (10.1016/j.ejon.2020.101777)
- Judge, A., Feuz, C., Evans, D. and Courtier, N. 2020. Evaluating Canadian radiation therapists’ and UK therapeutic radiographers’ experiences and opinions of a safety strap to secure patients during radiotherapy. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 51(3), pp. 436-442. (10.1016/j.jmir.2020.05.006)
- Abdul-Razak, W., Courtier, N. and Kelly, D. 2020. Opportunities for radiographer reporting in Ghana and the potential for improved patient care. Radiography 26(2), pp. e120-e125. (10.1016/j.radi.2019.09.011)
2019
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T., Barrett-Lee, P., Oliver, T. and Mason, M. 2019. The volume of liver irradiated during modern free-breathing breast radiotherapy: implications for theory and practice. Radiography 25(2), pp. 103-107. (10.1016/j.radi.2018.12.003)
2018
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T., Barrett-Lee, P. and Mason, M. D. 2018. Soluble interleukin-6 receptor mediated fatigue highlights immunological heterogeneity of patients with early breast cancer who undergo radiation therapy. Advances in Radiation Oncology 3(4), pp. 552-558. (10.1016/j.adro.2018.05.007)
- Courtier, N. et al. 2018. ACTIVE: a randomised feasibility trial of a behavioural intervention to reduce fatigue in women undergoing radiotherapy for early breast cancer: study protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 4, article number: 85. (10.1186/s40814-018-0275-7)
- Lester, J. F., Courtier, N., Eswar, C., Mohammed, N., Fenwick, J., Griffiths, G. and Nixon, L. S. 2018. Initial results of the phase ib/II, I-START trial: Isotoxic accelerated radiotherapy for the treatment of stage II-IIIb NSCLC. [Meeting Abstract}. Journal of Clinical Oncology 36(15_Sup), article number: e20551. (10.1200/JCO.2018.36.15_suppl.e20551)
2016
- Courtier, N., Milton, R., King, A., Tope, R., Morgan, S. and Hopkinson, J. 2016. Cancer and dementia: an exploratory study of the experience of cancer treatment in people with dementia. Psycho-Oncology 25(9), pp. 1079-1084. (10.1002/pon.4212)
- Schembri, A., Mercieca, S., Courtier, N. and Zarb, F. 2016. The impact of breast size on mean lung dose for patients receiving tangential radiotherapy to the whole breast. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice 15(2), pp. 181-188. (10.1017/S1460396916000091)
2015
- Mantzourani, E. D., Courtier, N., Davies, S. and Bean, G. 2015. Perceptions of faculty in health care and social sciences on teaching international students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 7(5), pp. 635-644. (10.1016/j.cptl.2015.06.018)
2013
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T., Enright, S., Barrett-Lee, P., Abraham, J. and Mason, M. D. 2013. A prognostic tool to predict fatigue in women with early-stage breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy. The Breast 22(4), pp. 504-509. (10.1016/j.breast.2012.10.002)
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T., Enright, S., Barrett-Lee, P., Abraham, J. and Mason, M. D. 2013. Psychological and immunological characteristics of fatigued women undergoing radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer 21(1), pp. 173-181. (10.1007/s00520-012-1508-6)
2012
- Lester, J. F. et al. 2012. 156 The I-START trial: ISoToxic Accelerated RadioTherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer [Abstract]. Lung Cancer 75(S1), pp. S51. (10.1016/S0169-5002(12)70157-5)
2011
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T., Barrett-Lee, P., Abraham, J. and Mason, M. D. 2011. Hepatic Irradiation during Modern Radiotherapy Protocols after Breast Conservation [Abstract]. Clinical Oncology 23(3), pp. 199-203. (10.1016/j.clon.2011.01.363)
2010
- Courtier, N. 2010. Fatigue during radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer and its relationship to irradiated volumes, IL-6sR and anxiety and depression: Towards a prognostic model. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2009
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T. and Mason, M. D. 2009. Fatigue, depression and physical activity in breast radiotherapy patients: Are they explained by sickness behaviour? [Abstract]. Clinical Oncology 21(3), pp. 251-251. (10.1016/j.clon.2009.01.001)
2008
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T. and Mason, M. D. 2008. Joy in repetition: the effect of advances in statistical software on the analysis of repeated measures studies in radiotherapy research. Presented at: Society & College of Radiographers Radiotherapy Conference, Brighton, 2 February 2008.
- Courtier, N., Gambling, T. and Mason, M. D. 2008. Acute fatigue in a breast radiotherapy cohort and its relationship to irradiated volumes, body mass index and biological factors. Presented at: National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference, Birmingham, UK, 5-8 October 2008.
2007
- Courtier, N. and Mundy, L. A. 2007. The volume of the liver irradiated during breast radiotherapy. Presented at: Society & College of Radiographers Radiotherapy Conference, Brighton, 1 February 2007.
Teaching
I am an experienced Senior Lecturer in radiotherapy & oncology and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Teaching expertise at undergraduate and postgraduate levels includes radiotherapy treatment planning, lung and breast cancer and research methods. I teach on a range of programmes within, and external to, Cardiff University School of Healthcare Sciences. Between 2012 and 2018 I was part of a small teaching team that delivered the University of Malta pre-registration radiotherapy programme.
I supervise a wide range of research projects with undergraduate and taught and research postgraduate students. I have experience of doctoral examination in the UK and overseas.
My profile as an independent researcher has been established on a programme of work looking at radiotherapy-related fatigue – progressing from understanding the psychological and radio-biological causes to identification of host immunological mediators and development of novel methods to predict and minimise fatigue.
A second stream seeks to explore the experience and outcomes of people with cognitive and physical impairments accessing cancer services.
A third areas of work is technical radiotherapy research with a translational focus on reduced toxicity.
Work has been funded by Tenovus Cancer Care, Welsh Government, Cancer Research UK, College of Radiographers and Research Capacity Building Collaboration.
Supervision
I have supervised five PhD students to successful completion. I am currently supervising three PhD students in the areas of radiotherapy, radiation dose optimisation and radiography.
I am interested in supervising students in the areas of:
- Radiotherapy theory and practice
- Management of toxicity related to radiotherapy treatment
- Experience of cancer treatment
- Inequalities in access to, experience of, and outcomes from cancer care
- Radiography
Current and most recent doctoral students:
‘The extent and experience of altered taste during radiotherapy for head and neck cancer’
‘Rural radiography practice: exploration of experiences of radiographers in Ghana’
'Couples' experiences of prostate cacer tretament in Malta: a descriptive qualitative study'
'Developing an evidence-based approach to neonatal and paediatric radiation dose optimisation methods'
‘Role extension opportunities in diagnostic radiography in Ghana and potential to impact on patient care’
‘Global research on the impact of dermatological disease (GRIDD): development and validation of a patient-centred impact measure for adults with skin conditions’
