Dr Michala Short is a Senior Lecturer in Radiation Therapy and researcher at UniSA's Allied Health and Human Performance academic unit. Michala's research focuses on improving the lives of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, which has been the underlying theme throughout her clinical and academic career. In 2021, Michala was the recipient of the Unsung Hero of South Australian Science award, which recognises those whose contribution to science has been significant over a long period of time but who have not yet received formal public recognition.
Michala's specific research interests relate to precision in radiation therapy image verification, understanding how radiation therapy impacts patients' quality of life in particular... Read more
About me
Dr Michala Short is a Senior Lecturer in Radiation Therapy and researcher at UniSA's Allied Health and Human Performance academic unit. Michala's research focuses on improving the lives of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, which has been the underlying theme throughout her clinical and academic career. In 2021, Michala was the recipient of the Unsung Hero of South Australian Science award, which recognises those whose contribution to science has been significant over a long period of time but who have not yet received formal public recognition.
Michala's specific research interests relate to precision in radiation therapy image verification, understanding how radiation therapy impacts patients' quality of life in particular fatigue, and more recently, the role of proton therapy in cancer management. During her PhD research Michala was the recipient of the prestigious Cancer Institute NSW Scholar Award and since then has received seed funding to investigate late effects of proton therapy (2017), an Ian Potter Foundation Travel Grant (2018) to visit overseas proton therapy centres and establish international research collaborations and funding from The Hospital Research Foundation (2021) to develop an online health-related quality of life platform for children with cancer. Michala's publications have spanned a range of topics including communication and information provision in radiation therapy, quality of life in patients with prostate and pancreatic cancer as well as a number of literature reviews on toxicities after SABR for lung cancer and outcomes after proton therapy in paediatric patients.
Alongside research, Michala coordinates the Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science with-Honours program and is passionate about mentoring others in the research process. She is actively involved in supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and has a teaching role within several core second and third year radiation therapy courses. Michala holds a PhD in Radiation Therapy from The University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Medical Radiations, Radiation Therapy (Honours) from the University of South Australia.
In her spare time, Michala enjoys heading outdoors with her family and loves hiking, spending summers at the beach, bike riding and the occasional ski trip.
About me
Member of the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT)
About me
Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Radiation Sciences) The University of Sydney
Bachelor of Medical Radiation (Honours) University of South Australia
Bachelor of Medical Radiation (Radiation Therapy) University of South Australia
Quality of life assessment in cancer
Long-term side-effects of radiation therapy
Survey interpretation and analysis
Image verification
Proton therapy in cancer management
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2020 |
Open access
8
9
87
|
| 2020 |
Open access
1
1
2
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
2
2
|
| 2022 |
Open access
4
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
2
3
3
|
| 2021 |
Open access
3
3
7
|
| 2021 |
1
1
6
|
| 2021 |
Open access
4
3
8
|
| 2020 |
Open access
7
|
| 2020 |
Open access
11
10
1
|
| 2020 |
Open access
8
9
87
|
| 2020 |
Open access
1
1
2
|
| 2019 |
Open access
10
11
4
|
| 2018 |
16
14
1
|
| 2018 |
Open access
1
|
| 2018 |
Open access
11
10
|
| 2017 |
Open access
3
3
1
|
| 2013 |
Open access
10
9
|
| 2010 |
Open access
36
34
|
| 2009 |
Open access
34
27
|
| 2008 |
5
3
|
| 2008 |
10
9
|
Conference Presentations
2020 Dell’Oro, M. Short, M. Wilson, P. Bezak, E. Impact of radiosensitivity and gender on paediatric cranial tumours following proton and photon intensity modulated radiation therapy – A radiobiological response modelling study. Asia-Oceania Congress on Medical Physics, (virtual meeting) Thailand.
2020 Dell’Oro, M. Short, M. Wilson, P. Bezak, E. Modelling the impact of radiosensitivity and sex on paediatric cranial tumours following proton and photon intensity modulated radiation therapy. ARPS, Adelaide, Australia.
2020 Dell’Oro, M. Short, M. Wilson, P. Hua, CH. Gargone, M. Merchant, TE. Bezak, E. Impact of radiosensitivity and sex on paediatric cranial tumours following Intensity-modulated photon and proton radiotherapy- A radiobiological response modelling. PTCOG (virtual meeting) Taiwan.
2019 Dell’Oro, M., Short, M., Wilson, P., Hull, A., Bezak, E. Is particle therapy the answer for pancreatic cancer? International Symposium on the System of Radiological Protection, Adelaide, Australia.
2019 Dell’Oro, M., Short, M., Wilson, P., Hull, A., Bezak, E. Current status of particle therapy for pancreatic cancer. Engineering & Physical Sciences in Medicine Conference, Perth, Australia.
2019 Cunningham, L., Giles, E., Penfold, S., Le, H., Short, M. (ePoster) Do protons have a place in breast cancer radiotherapy? A literature review. 14th Annual National Conference Of Medical Imaging And Radiation Therapy and the 22nd Asia‐Australasia Conference of Radiological Technologists, Adelaide, South Australia. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.326
2019 Morias, S., Buckley, E., Beckmann, K., Borg, M., O’Callaghan, M., Short, M. Variations in radiotherapy patterns of care in the radical treatment of South Australian non-metastatic prostate cancer patients. 14th Annual National Conference Of Medical Imaging And Radiation Therapy and the 22nd Asia‐Australasia Conference of Radiological Technologists, Adelaide, South Australia. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.1_324
2019 Turnbull, S., Matthews, D., Short, M., Merchant, S. Identifying patient information needs about the practical aspects of receiving radiation therapy for cancer. 14th Annual National Conference Of Medical Imaging And Radiation Therapy and the 22nd Asia‐Australasia Conference of Radiological Technologists, Adelaide, South Australia. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.324
Research
Quality of life assessment in cancer
Long-term side-effects of radiation therapy
Survey interpretation and analysis
Image verification
Proton therapy in cancer management
Member, NHMRC Proton Therapy Working Committee (2018-2019)
Member, ASMIRT Particle Therapy Working Group (ongoing role from 2018)
Convenor, ASMIRT/AACRT Student Conference 2019
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Radiotherapy Centre | AUSTRALIA |
| Cancer Voices South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| Covance Pty Limited | AUSTRALIA |
| CSIRO Australia (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation) | AUSTRALIA |
| Curtin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders Medical Centre | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Genesis Cancer Care | AUSTRALIA |
| Genesis Care | AUSTRALIA |
| Prince of Wales Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Queen Elizabeth Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal North Shore Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Perth Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | UNITED STATES |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Western Australia | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
MembershipAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2019 |
Student Conference ConvenorAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2018 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2018 |
MembershipParticle Therapy Co-operative Group |
2018 |
Particle Therapy Working GroupAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2018 |
Proton Beam Therapy Working CommitteeNational Health and Medical Research Council |
2018 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2016 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2015 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2014 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2013 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2012 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2011 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2010 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2009 |
MemberAustralian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) |
2008 |
Teaching highlights include radiation therapy and quantitative research methods. Michala's specific teaching interests include:
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| International Online Survey of Methods Used to Select Patients for Proton Therapy and Impacts of COVID-19 | Current |
| Quality of life in childhood cancer survivors following photon and proton radiation therapy. | Current |
| Radiobiological modelling of normal tissue complication probability for paediatric cranial tumours following proton and photon therapy | Completed |
