Dr Robert Appleyard PhD, MSc, BSc, DCR(T), PGCE
Senior Lecturer, PGRT for Health
Summary
I am a Senior Lecturer in Radiotherapy and Oncology and the Post Graduate Research Tutor for Health. I teach on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, supervise PhD students and am a researcher in the broad areas of Cancer Management and Workforce.
About
I have worked as a Senior Lecturer in Radiotherapy and Oncology at Sheffield Hallam University since 1998. I contribute to both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes - particularly with regards to research methods, image guided radiotherapy and radiation physics. I am also the Post Graduate Research Tutor for Health.
Current research areas are radiography/radiotherapy workforce, upright radiotherapy and virtual reality and simulation in educational contexts. I supervise PhD students undertaking research projects within these domains.
Research Interests
VREs in educational contexts
Impact of VREs on spatial anatomical cognition
E-learning technologies
In vivo dosimetry
Teaching
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Radiotherapy and Oncology
Courses taught:
BSc (Hons) Radiotherapy and Oncology
MSc programmes in Radiotherapy and Oncology
Research
My main research areas align with the Cancer Management and Workforce groups within the
Centre for Applied Health and Social Care Research (CARe). In particular I have interests in Upright Radiotherapy, Simulation and VR in Radiotherapy contexts and Radiography Workforce.
Recent publications/projects:
T Underwood, R Appleyard, J Ulman, C Holborn, S Smith, S Hill, S Ingram, R Tierney, G Sands, J Nunn, H Probst. Patient perspectives on upright radiotherapy. Poster presentation. ESTRO 2024
Appleyard R, Etty S, Snaith B, Nightingale J, Sevens T, Kelly S, Fowler-Davies S. The imaging support workforce: Stakeholder perceptions of role, impact and career progression. Radiography in press
Nightingale J, Sevens T, Etty S, Appleyard R, Kelly S, Snaith B. The role, scope and utilisation of the imaging support workforce in England: a qualitative framework analysis. Radiography, 31(1) 264:274, Jan 2025
Collaborators/sponsors:
Leo Cancer Care
Publications
Journal articles
Nightingale, J., Sevens, T., Etty, S., Fowler-Davis, S., Kelly, S., Appleyard, R., & Snaith, B. (2025). The role, scope and utilisation of the imaging support workforce in England: A qualitative framework analysis. Radiography, 31 (1), 264-274. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2024.11.021
Nightingale, J., Etty, S., Snaith, B., Sevens, T., Appleyard, R., & Kelly, S. (2024). Establishing the size and configuration of the imaging support workforce: a census of national workforce data in England. BJR|Open, 6 (1). http://doi.org/10.1093/bjro/tzae026
Rigby, K., Probst, H., Ulman, J., Appleyard, R., & Jacques, L. (2024). CommEmorating the Last Event: calling time on the end of treatment Bell following RAdioThErapy? The CELEBRATE study. Radiography, 30 (3), 920-925. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2024.03.006
Thelwell, M., Masters, N., Appleyard, R., & Bullas, A.M. (2024). Advanced Body Measurement Techniques Can Complement Current Methods of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Dose Prescription. Applied Sciences, 14 (2). http://doi.org/10.3390/app14020834
Burhani, A.A., Macwan, S., Holborn, C., Appleyard, R., Faulkner, M., Mpanda, M., & Soko, G. (2022). Effect and value of integrating interprofessional education in radiation treatment planning; a systematic review [abstract only]. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 53 (4), S25. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2022.10.085
Nightingale, J., Appleyard, R., Mcnamara, J., Panchbhaya, M., Posnett, J., & Stone, J. (2022). Gender diversity in therapeutic radiography: A mixed methods exploration of the gender influences impacting on male students' career choices. Radiography, 28 (2), 258-266. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2022.02.005
Nightingale, J., Sevens, T., Appleyard, R., Campbell, S., & Burton, M. (2022). Retention of radiographers in the NHS: influencing factors across the career trajectory. Radiography, 29 (1), 76-83. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2022.10.003
Nightingale, J., Burton, M., Appleyard, R., Sevens, T., & Campbell, S. (2021). Retention of radiographers: A qualitative exploration of factors influencing decisions to leave or remain within the NHS. Radiography. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2020.12.008
Sheazadi, L., Appleyard, R., Foley, N., & Foran, B. (2018). A retrospective comparison of intensity-modulated arc therapy and 3-dimensional conformal approaches in the planning of grade 3 gliomas. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice. http://doi.org/10.1017/S1460396918000079
Bridge, P., Giles, E., Williams, A., Boejen, A., Appleyard, R., & Kirby, M. (2017). International audit of virtual environment for radiotherapy training usage. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 16 (4), 375-382. http://doi.org/10.1017/S146039691700022X
Claxto, K., & Appleyard, R. (2017). Implementation of ultrasound bladder volume scanning for patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy to the cervix or endometrium: clinical experiences from a United Kingdom radiotherapy department. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 16 (3), 232-244. http://doi.org/10.1017/S1460396917000231
Hubie, C., Shaw, M., Bydder, S., Lane, J., Waters, G., McNabb, M., ... Appleyard, R. (2016). A randomised comparison of three different immobilisation devices for thoracic and abdominal cancers. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 64 (2), 90-96. http://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.202
Barrett, S., & Appleyard, R. (2013). The reliability of quantitative thresholding methods for PET aided delineation of GTVs in Head and Neck tumours. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 12 (2), 187-194. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396912000180
Green, D., & Appleyard, R. (2011). The influence of VERT™ characteristics on the development of skills in skin apposition techniques. Radiography, 17 (3), 178-182. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2011.04.002
Bridge, P., & Appleyard, R. (2008). A comparison of electronic and paper‐based assignment submission and feedback. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39 (4), 644-650. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00753.x
Bridge, P., Appleyard, R.M., Ward, J.W., Philips, R., & Beavis, A.W. (2007). The development and evaluation of a virtual radiotherapy treatment machine using an immersive visualisation environment. Computers & Education, 49 (2), 481-494. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2005.10.006
Broderick, M., Menezes, G., Leech, M., Coffey, M., & Appleyard, R. (2007). A comparison of kilovoltage and megavoltage cone beam CT in radiotherapy. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 6 (03), 173-178. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396907006115
Reeves, E., Bridge, P., & Appleyard, R.M. (2004). The current role of systemic therapy in the management of Malignant Melanoma of the skin: a literature review. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 4 (4), 161-175. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396905000221
Appleyard, R., Ball, K., Hughes, F.E., Kilby, W., Nicholls, R., Rabett, V., ... Thomson, E. (2004). Systematic in vivo dosimetry for quality assurance using diodes 2: Assessing radiotherapy techniques and developing an appropriate action protocol. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 4 (4), 143-154. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396905000208
Appleyard, R., Ball, K., Hughes, F.E., Kilby, W., Lassen, S., Nicholls, R., ... Thomson, E. (2003). Systematic in vivo dosimetry for quality assurance using diodes. Part 1: Experiences and results of the implementation of entrance dose measurements. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 3 (4), 185-196. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396903000542
Appleyard, R. (1999). A survey of in vivo diode dosimetry in the UK. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 1 (2), 73-82. http://doi.org/10.1017/s1460396999000138
Conference papers
Underwood, T.S.A., Appleyard, R.M., Ulman, J., Holborn, C., Smith, S., Hill, S., ... Probst, H. (2024). Patient perspectives on upright radiotherapy. RADIOTHERAPY AND ONCOLOGY, 194, S5660-S5663.
Nightingale, J., Appleyard, R., Mcnamara, J., Posnett, J., & Stone, J. (2020). Understanding male student perspectives on therapeutic radiography as a career choice. Radiography, 26, S2. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2019.11.009
Scherer, P., Kopp, M., Hodgson, D.A., Appleyard, R.M., Wolf, F., Fastner, G., & Sedlmayer, F. (2014). Evaluation of the positioning accuracy of head and neck patients with/without an additional vacuum cushion. RADIOTHERAPY AND ONCOLOGY, 111, S155-S156.
Beavis, A.W., Appleyard, R.M., Coleman, L., Boejen, A., & Grau, C. (2009). The Adoption of Virtual Reality Training in Radiation Oncology. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 75 (3), S138. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.07.328
Beavis, A.W., Ward, J.W., Appleyard, R.M., & Phillips, R. (2006). 2890. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 66 (3), S714. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2006.07.1309
Beavis, A., Ward, J., Bridge, P., Appleyard, R., & Phillips, R. (2006). MO‐D‐230A‐02: An Immersive Virtual Environment for Training of Radiotherapy Students and Developing Clinical Experience. Medical Physics, 33 (6Part15), 2164-2165. http://doi.org/10.1118/1.2241428
Phillips, R., Ward, J.W., Bridge, P., Appleyard, R.M., & Beavis, A.W. (2006). A hybrid virtual environment for training of radiotherapy treatment of cancer. SPIE Proceedings, 6055, 605508. http://doi.org/10.1117/12.650951
Bridge, P., & Appleyard, R. (2005). System failure: A comparison of electronic and paper‐based assignment submission, marking, and feedback. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36 (4), 669-671. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2005.00485.x
Other activities
- Reviewer for Radiography and Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice.
- Steering group member for the Formal Research Mentoring Programme through the College of Radiographers.
Postgraduate supervision
Current PhD topics and students:
Exploration of educational prerequisites for establishing the first radiotherapy service in Liberia: Omaoru Kromah
An occupational perspective exploring transitions in retirement: Exploring choice and participation in regular exercise: Joanne Donbavand
Investigating effectiveness, accuracy and reproducibility in upright radiotherapy: Tess Gilligan
Investigating measurement of breast or trunk lymphoedema following a breast cancer diagnosis: Stephanie Hill
Exploring the Effectiveness and Acceptance of Simulation in Delivering Higher Education in Allied Health Professions: Anurag Bhatnagar