“If we don’t conduct research in Yorkshire, how can we know the treatments and evidence we’re using are right for people here?” – Professor Ane Appelt’s experience content
Medical physicist and pioneering researcher Professor Ane Appelt is passionate about using research to improve treatments and the quality of life of people diagnosed with cancer.
Originally from Denmark, Ane first came to the UK in 2007 to undertake her postgraduate studies in Durham after completing a degree in Physics. At the time, she believed her future lay in theoretical particle physics.
Quote from Ane Appelt
I thought I was going to be a theoretical physicist. I loved the mathematics and the theory behind it all, but after five years of studying, I became quite disillusioned. Even the most practical work involved designing things that might be built 20 years in the future. I realised I needed to do something that mattered now.”
By chance, Ane had completed some work in biophysics and came across an opportunity to train as a medical physicist in Vejle Hospital in Western Denmark.
She said: “I applied for a few positions, but the most interesting one was a three-year training role in a cancer department. It was immediately clear to me this was what I wanted to do. I could show up to work every day and help make a difference to people.”
Just a few months into the role, a senior colleague encouraged her to pursue research alongside her clinical work. She started exploring funding opportunities and in 2010, began a part-time PhD looking at how different groups of people experience side effects after radiotherapy treatment and how different doses of radiotherapy impact how tumours can be controlled. What began as an academic project soon became something more connected to people.
Quote from Ane Appelt
Six months into my project, I started spending more time with clinicians, nurses and people with cancer. I joined clinics and follow-up appointments, seeing first-hand what treatment meant for people and their families. It became very clear to me that quality of life during and after treatment mattered enormously. Of course, it’s vital to cure cancer, but it’s equally important to understand how we can help people live as well as they can during and after treatment.”
Ane’s work increasingly focused on bowel and rectal cancer, where treatment can sometimes cause long-term side effects. Her interest in the side effects of treatment was influenced in part by her own family’s experience of cancer.
She said: “My dad had lymphoma when I was around 20 years old. We were told immediately he had an excellent chance of being cured, which was wonderful news. But the treatment was tough. He was incredibly active before his diagnosis, and afterwards he was left with permanent nerve damage in his feet from the chemotherapy. That experience stayed with me. It made me aware cancer treatment isn’t only about what happens during treatment; it’s about what happens for the rest of someone’s life.”
A conversation with internationally renowned cancer researcher Professor David Sebag-Montefiore at an international conference would soon shape the next chapter of Ane’s research career.
The pair discussed emerging approaches to treating rectal cancer. While researchers in Denmark were beginning to explore alternatives to surgery for some people with the disease, David recognised the need for stronger evidence to determine whether these approaches could be adopted more widely.
Quote from Ane Appelt
David was critical at first, but curious. He felt I had a combination of skills that I could bring to explore this area in more detail - a technical research background alongside experience working in a hospital and supporting people affected by cancer. When the University of Leeds announced its fellowship programme, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, he encouraged me to apply.”
Ane was awarded a fellowship at the University of Leeds through the Yorkshire Cancer Research Fellowship Programme and moved to Leeds in August 2016. What stood out to her was the charity's focus on supporting big and bold ideas with the potential to make a real difference to people affected by cancer in Yorkshire.
She said "It was such a refreshing process. I didn't need to have every detail of the next five years planned. Instead, I was able to talk about what I had achieved so far, the questions I wanted to answer and where I hoped my research could lead."
She continued: "Yorkshire Cancer Research gave me the time, support and freedom to pursue new ideas and develop research at the University of Leeds alongside my clinical work at St James's Hospital in Leeds. If you want to improve cancer treatment, you need to be close to the people experiencing cancer and the healthcare professionals caring for them. That's where the most important research questions come from."
Yorkshire Cancer Research is working with 750 researchers and cancer experts, bringing vital knowledge and expertise to our region and sharing their life-saving breakthroughs with the world. The charity is funding £75m of vital research and innovative cancer services, including 26 clinical trials, to prevent, detect and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire.
Through the University of Leeds Clinical Trials Research Unit, Ane was introduced to an exciting opportunity to help develop APHRODITE, a pioneering clinical trial funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research exploring ways to improve radiotherapy treatment for people with rectal cancer, who are unable to, or choose not to undergo surgery.
The trial explored whether giving people a higher dose of radiotherapy, compared to the current standard treatment, can increase the likelihood of the cancer disappearing completely, without causing significant additional side effects.
Quote from Ane Appelt
APHRODITE wasn’t part of my original fellowship proposal, but the fellowship gave me the time and freedom to pursue it. The trial was developed in response to challenges we were seeing in clinical practice and the needs of people affected by cancer in Yorkshire.”
Ane presented the results of the study for the first time in May, which showed more people receiving the higher dose of radiotherapy had no visible cancer six months after completing treatment. These early findings indicate a promising new approach to radiotherapy for people with rectal cancer, offering better treatment while maintaining a similar quality of life for people who are unable to tolerate more intensive treatment like surgery.
Analysis from this study has provided vital insight into how this approach could improve treatment and pave the way for further research across the UK.
Through her work on APHRODITE, Ane became increasingly aware of the unique challenges facing people with cancer across the region.
She said: “Yorkshire is incredibly diverse and has many unique challenges with cancer treatment and care we must address. There are people who travel hours to reach treatment centres. Some communities are diagnosed later than elsewhere. There are cultural differences, health inequalities and barriers to accessing care.”
Developing APHRODITE also introduced Ane to patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE); something she had not previously experienced in Denmark.
Quote from Ane Appelt
At first, the idea of co-producing research directly with people affected by cancer was completely foreign to me, but it transformed how I think about research. We worked closely with them to shape the trial, from designing information materials to improving communication throughout the study. Their insights helped ensure the research remained focused on the needs and issues that matter to people with cancer, including those in our region. If we don’t conduct research in Yorkshire, how can we know the treatments and evidence we’re using are right for people here?”
Although Ane moved back to Denmark in 2025, she continues to hold an honorary position at the University of Leeds and remains involved in several Yorkshire-based research projects.
Reflecting on her collaborations with Yorkshire Cancer Research and pioneering experts around the world, Ane believes clinical research is fundamental in developing cancer breakthroughs and saving lives.
Quote from Ane Appelt
Research is how we resolve uncertainty. It helps us make better decisions for people who will be affected by cancer in the future. So many of the important questions in cancer treatment aren’t about developing new drugs. They’re about how we deliver treatment, how we reduce side effects, how we improve quality of life and how we ensure treatment is accessible for all. These are questions pharmaceutical companies aren’t going to fund. That’s why it’s so important to have support from Yorkshire Cancer Research.”
Find out more about life-saving research in Yorkshire: Saving lives through research - Yorkshire Cancer Research
