Aberdeen's medical imaging pioneer invited to Reception at Buckingham Palace

at Buckingham Palace

The achievements of Professor John R Mallard OBE FRSE, the first Professor of Medical Physics at the University of Aberdeen, will today (Monday, October 13) be recognised when he attends a Reception to be given in Buckingham Palace by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. He has been invited to attend the Reception to mark the contribution of Pioneers to the life of the Nation.

Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal & Vice-Chancellor, at the University, was delighted to learn of Professor Mallard's invitation to Pioneers to the life of the Nation. He said: "I would personally like to congratulate Professor Mallard on behalf of the University, for receiving an invitation to this prestigious event.

"The University is immensely proud of its pioneering work in medical imaging, particularly in MRI, which has been spearheaded by the efforts of Professor Mallard. Thanks to him, Aberdeen has been at the cutting edge of medical imaging and patients in Scotland and far beyond have benefited from the medical advances he has introduced in the field of medical imaging and diagnosis."

Professor Mallard was looking forward to the special event at Buckingham Palace. He said: "It is a mark of esteem, not only for myself, but also for the University, which made it possible for the pioneering work to be carried out. I am delighted to be 'carrying the flag' for the University when I am there."

Last year Professor Mallard was awarded a gold medal from The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotland's National Academy, in recognition of his work as an outstanding pioneer in the field of medical imaging and diagnosis.

For over 30 years, thanks to the efforts of the scientific teams in the Department of Biomedical Physics and Bioengineering under the guidance of Professor John Mallard, Aberdeen has been at the cutting edge of medical imaging. Professor Mallard has played a crucial role in the development of two of the most important

diagnostic technologies of the 20th century, namely Nuclear Medicine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Whilst at Hammersmith Hospital, John Mallard built the first radionuclide imaging device in the UK and was also involved in the first European brain tumour imaging trials. On becoming the University of Aberdeen's first Professor of Medical Physics, he continued this work, building the first machine in the UK capable of imaging in 3D, and also started research on the feasibility of nuclear magnetic resonance becoming a medical imaging technique. In the 1970s his group was responsible for some of the major discoveries which led to MRI becoming clinically viable. Since producing the first clinically useful MRI image in Aberdeen in 1980, Professor Mallard's technique has benefited many thousands of people. Professor Mallard is the recipient of many honours and medals.