Cancer hope from work of academic

Professor Roger Barlow, from Huddersfield University, has spearheaded a project to produce a new particle accelerator, known as an Electron Model for Many Applications, or EMMA.

It is hoped the groundbreaking technology will help doctors treat some of the most difficult cancers.

Existing accelerators have had a profound impact on medicine in radiotherapy.

However, such technologies, which were developed over 50 years ago, are limited by their complexity, size and cost.

EMMA’s innovative design, which sees a ring of magnets use their combined magnetic field to steer and focus an electron beam, promises to be smaller, more cost effective and easier to operate.

Prof Barlow said: “EMMA could now define the way forward for this kind of particle accelerator across the world.”