Victoria Woods

is the Senior Biomedical Scientist for the Wales Cancer Bank.  She is based at Velindre hospital and is responsible for ensuring the quality of samples sent out from the WCB using the Mirax digital imaging system and overseeing the other WCB laboratories.  Her role at Velindre also involves the automated production, digital imaging and analysis of tissue microarrays.

Her background is in Cellular Pathology and she has extensive laboratory experience in working in both the NHS, private and research sectors.  She has a specific research interest in targeted therapeutics especially those relating to Breast Cancer and to predictive and prognostic assays. Her work in the clinical setting has lead to her achieving the Medical Futures Award for validation of an intra operative technique for diagnosis of breast cancer metastesis. She is also currently undertaking a part time PhD in invasive breast cancer at Imperial College London.

Fiona Martin

My name is Fiona Martin I have been a Biomedical Scientist since 2002. I joined the Pathology Department in Swansea as a Neuroscience graduate and completed my Biomedical Scientist training there in both Singleton and Moriston Hospitals. Whilst there, I also began my Masters Degree in Biomedical Science. In 2005 I moved to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board at Llandough Hospital. Whilst there I completed my dissertation on Mesothelioma and graduated again!  In 2009 I transferred to UHW to join the Wales Cancer Bank where I am now responsible for co-ordinating the collection of samples donated across both Cardiff Hospitals.

Within the laboratory I am part of a team of Biomedical Scientists who work in diagnostic Pathology, all of whom contribute to the work of the Wales Cancer Bank. We all work closely with the team of Consultant Pathologists to facilitate the diagnosis of all patients.  I enjoy the variety and the complexity of this role and I’m proud to be part of this valuable resource. Although I may never meet the patients, I gain a lot of job satisfaction from knowing we are contributing a great deal.