Multidisciplinary Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Michel Spagnol
Advisory Board Chairman
Michel Spagnol graduated as a chemical engineer from ENSC Mulhouse (1987) and received his PhD in organic chemistry from Stanford University (USA). In 1993, he joined the Rhône Poulenc group.
After years spent in the research laboratories in various management positions, he was successively appointed Vice President of Innovation & Development of Rhodia Life Sciences Systems and Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Rhodia Pharma Solutions in Cranbury (New Jersey, USA). His contribution to Rhodia has focused on the development of innovative solutions using catalysis technics leading to the filing of 47 patents and the publication of numerous articles in the international trade press as well as several awards. In 2006, following the sale of this activity to Shasun, an Indian company, Michel Spagnol joined the new organization as President & CTO based in Chennai, India.
In June 2013, he returned to his home country and led the Novasep Group as President & CEO for 9 years. He recently divested this business to Pharmazell, a German based company under the leadership of Bridgepoint where he now holds the Deputy chairmanship position of the newly created group, Axplora.
In addition, Michel founded Mifani-Invest a financial holding company based in France focusing on investment to foster growth in healthcare and digital transition.
Prof. Eric Aboagye
Cancer Comprehensive Imaging & Biomarkers
Professor, Imperial College London
Director, Cancer Imaging Centre; Co-director, Experimental Cancer Medicines Centre at Imperial College & Imaging Theme lead of Imperial College NIHR Biomedical Research Centre
Eric Aboagye obtained his PhD from University of Glasgow, working with Paul Workman at the CRUK Beatson Laboratories, where he developed technologies for non-invasively visualising hypoxia in cancer. He moved to the Johns Hopkins University in 1995 to continue developing methods for non-invasive detection of complex cancer signatures. In 1998, he set up his independent research group at Imperial College London, where has been Professor in the department of Surgery & Cancer since 2006, and director or the Cancer Imaging Centre.
His lab works at the interface of chemistry, mathematics and biology to develop and translate better ways of visualising metabolic and receptor-signalling properties of cancers in pre-clinical models and patients, using positron emission tomography and other imaging techniques. His team is also studying how tumour architecture influences patient outcome by developing and applying radiogenomics approaches.
His research has directly led to discovery/translation of five new cancer diagnostics into human application, and supported two others with industry. Professor Aboagye was elected Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences in 2010.
Dr. Sergi Ganau
Breast Radiology
Sergi Ganau is a consultant radiologist at Hospital Clínic in Barcelona since 2016. Twenty years experience in breast imaging (UDIAT in Sabadell, Barcelona; Hospital General de Catalunya, Sant Cugat). Associate professor at University of Barcelona.
Lecturer on Breast Imaging in the Master’s Programme at University of Barcelona (Máster de Senología). Member of the Clinical Advisory Committee of the Pla Director d’Oncologia (breast screening) of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Special interest in science dissemination and new technologies related to breast imaging. Author or co-author of several books and papers. Collaborator in various research areas, mainly related to neoadjuvant treatment, and high risk for breast cancer.
Dr. Melissa Hill
Medical Physics
Melissa Hill has worked in the field of mammographic imaging physics for 17 years, with applications including digital mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, and dedicated breast CT, with work on contrast-enhanced versions of these modalities forming the basis of her doctorate in Medical Biophysics.
A native of Canada, for the past 7 years Melissa has lived and worked in France as a Consultant Imaging Scientist at the interface of industry and academia, while also devoting time to peer review and international Medical Physics committees. Her expertise includes quantitative image analysis, image quality evaluation, breast dosimetry, mammography quality control, and contrast agent development. She has a strong track record of publication and intellectual property generation in these areas.
Prof. Michael Kerin
Breast Surgery
Michael Kerin is Chair of Surgery at the National University of Ireland, Galway and Director of the Cancer Managed Clinical Academic Network (MCAN) for Saolta University Health Care Group. As Consultant Surgeon he has a special interest in breast and endocrine cancer.
He is Research Director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, Principal Investigator with the SFI funded Precision Oncology Ireland, the All Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) and co-investigator of numerous other collaborative cancer research initiatives. Professor Kerin's research interests include molecular profiling in cancer, cancer risk prediction and innovative methods for breast cancer diagnosis and management.
Further details are available on the link below:
https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/medicine/michaelkerin/#
Dr. Athina Vourtsis
Breast Radiology
Athina Vourtsis graduated from Athens University Medical School in 1993 and completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology in 1997 and in 1998 was conferred a Ph.D. from the University of Athens.
She received training in breast imaging at Cornell Medical Center, New York and in 2001 received scholarship from the State Scholarships Foundation in Greece. Dr. Vourtsis is Chair of the department of Radiology at Athena Medical in Athens.
Dr. Vourtsis is co-author of more than 46 articles in Greek and international scientific medical journals. She is a member of the international scientific faculty of IBUS. She has presented more than 90 oral presentations in Greek conferences, has delivered 300 lectures as an invited speaker at international radiological meetings, and over 80 lectures on breast awareness programs. In 2012 she founded the Hellenic Breast Imaging Society (HBIS), in which she has been given the honorary position of founding President.
Dr. Vourtsis has shown special interest in supplemental screening methods and AI. Through her career she has actively supported breast awareness programs and was honored by the PanHellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer “Alma Zois”. As a member of the Medical Advisory Board and European Liaison of DenseBreast-Info.org she has been working on expanding DBI-s Educational Coalition into Europe.
Dr. Vourtsis has been a reviewer for European Radiology, European Journal of Radiology and Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology. She has co-authored many breast imaging books and contributed to “Breast Cancer Management for Surgeons – A European Multidisciplinary Textbook” published through Springer.com.
Prof. Milica Popović
Microwave Imaging System Engineering
Bio-Electromagnetics Applications, Antennas & Propagation
Prof. Milica Popović received her M.Eng. (EE, 1994) and PhD (EE, 2001) at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA. Since 2001, she has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McGill University.
She teaches courses on electromagnetic fields and waves, and antennas and propagation. In 2020, she received Samuel and Ida Fromson Outstanding Teaching Award in Engineering.
Her research focuses on biomedical applications of electromagnetic theory, with particular interest on cancer detection techniques with microwaves. Prof. Popović is a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation, a Senior Member of the IEEE and a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario.
For the IEEE Montreal Chapter, she has served as the as the Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) and as the Chapter Chair for IEEE Engineering of Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS). She is a member of the technical program committee of IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques MTT-28 Biological Effects and Medical Applications and Associate Editor for the IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology (IEEE J-ERM).
Since 2020, Prof. Popović has held the position of the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) of the Faculty of Engineering at McGill University.