Ms Laura Feighan

Dr Laura Feighan is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle, where she coordinates and teaches across all year levels of the Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Radiation Therapy) program. She also serves as Educational Foundations Manager for the Radiation Oncology Collaborative Network (ROCN), contributing to international capacity-building initiatives in radiation oncology education.

Dr Feighan's doctoral research focused on exercise and nutritional interventions for women with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy. Her broader research program centres on supportive care in radiation oncology, exploring how holistic, evidence-based interventions can enhance patient outcomes and quality of life. Her PhD produced five peer-reviewed articles in journals including the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, Supportive Care in Cancer, and Radiography, and she has presented her work at national and international conferences, including the Australian Society of Medical Imaging Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) Conference and the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) Congress.

A committed and innovative educator, Dr Feighan holds an Associate Fellowship with Advance Higher Education (UK) and is on the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) Education Committee. She is passionate about educating students to become well-rounded clinicians — ones who are not only technically skilled, but who can also provide holistic, empathetic, person-centred care. She integrates contemporary clinical practice and emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence) into her teaching and has developed a range of innovative educational resources across the radiation therapy curriculum.

Prior to her academic career, Dr Feighan worked as a radiation therapist for a decade, building a strong foundation in clinical practice that continues to inform her teaching and research. She is passionate about passing on her research experience to the next generation of researchers and actively supervises and mentors' Honours and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students, supporting them to develop the skills and confidence to pursue meaningful research in the field.

Dr Feighan is a recipient of multiple awards recognising both her teaching and research contributions, including the 2025 College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing Staff Award for Teaching Service, the 2024 UON Team Excellence Award for Industry Engagement, and the Best Rapid-Fire Presentation Award at the 2025 Hunter Medical Research Institute Women's Health Forum.