Professor David Thomson is a head and neck clinical oncologist with extensive experience in patient care and research. He studied medicine at Oxford and completed an MD at the University of Manchester. He holds academic roles in Manchester and Liverpool and leads head and neck cancer services at The Christie. He has contributed to national and international clinical guidelines and led several major late-phase, multicentre clinical trials, including TORPEdO, the UK’s first proton beam therapy trial. Professor Thomson also worked with international colleagues to develop cancer care guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and has supported NHS England’s proton therapy programmes since 2019. His work focuses on improving outcomes and delivering high-quality care for patients with head and neck cancer.