Dr Elwira Szychot

Current Positions

Paediatric Neuro-Oncologist, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Honorary Associate Professor at Developmental Biology & Cancer Department of University College London

Qualifications

MD PhD MRCPCH

Short biography

Elwira is a Consultant Paediatric Neuro-Oncologist with a specialist interest in innovative drug delivery approaches for childhood high-risk brain tumours. Her research focuses on harnessing convection-enhanced drug delivery (CED) and focused ultrasound (FUS) to overcome the blood–brain barrier, aiming to translate these novel techniques into effective treatments for children, teenagers, and young adults.

She was recently awarded an MRC DPFS grant as Chief Investigator for a landmark clinical trial investigating the safety and feasibility of intratumoral MTX110 administered via CED in newly diagnosed paediatric diffuse midline glioma (DMG).

She plays a key leadership role as a member of the SIOPE High-Grade Glioma (HGG) Working Group, where she has helped develop European standard clinical practice recommendations for paediatric high-grade gliomas as part of the European Standard Clinical Practice (ESCP) Project.

Elwira is also an active contributor to several national and international research collaborations, including the SIOPE Brain Tumour Group, the UK Children’s Cancer & Leukaemia Group (CCLG), and the British Neuro-Oncology Society, where she serves as Council Member and Paediatric Representative.

She has a sustained commitment to medical education and training, with extensive experience in the design and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in paediatric oncology andneuro-oncology.

Elwira has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications in paediatric neuro-oncology and is committed to advancing the field through multidisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based practice.

Selected recent publications include:

  1. European standard clinical practice recommendations for paediatric high-grade gliomas. Szychot E, et al. EJC Paediatric Oncology, Volume 5, 100210.
  2. Convection-enhanced delivery for brain malignancies: Technical parameters, formulation strategies and clinical perspectives. Parvar SJ, Wong CI, Lewis A, Szychot E, Morris CJ, Shorthouse D, Dziemidowicz K. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2025 Sep;224:115657. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2025.115657. Epub 2025 Jul 20. PMID: 40695412.
  3. Bi-modal confirmation of liposome delivery to the brain after focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening. Payne C, Cressey P, Talianu A, Szychot E, Hargrave D, Thanou M, Pouliopoulos AN. Heliyon. 2024 Nov 6;10(22):e39972. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39972. PMID: 39624326; PMCID: PMC11609457.
  4. Evaluating drug distribution in children and young adults with diffuse midline glioma of the pons (DIPG) treated with convection-enhanced drug delivery (CED). Szychot E, Bhagawati D, Sokolska M, Walker D, Gill S, Hyare H. Front Neuroimaging 2023; 2:1062493.
  5. Clinical impact of primary tumour 123ImIBG response to induction chemotherapy in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Szychot E, Morgenstern D, Chopra M, et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2022; 27(1):253-261.
  6. Clinical experience of Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED) of Carboplatin and Sodium valproate into the pons for the treatment of DIPG in children and young adults after radiotherapy. Szychot E, Walker D, Collins P, et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2021; 26(4):647-658.
  7. Predicting Outcome in Childhood Diffuse Midline Gliomas Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based Texture Analysis. Szychot E, Youssef A, Ganeshan B, et al. J Neuroradiol. 2020.
  8. Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG): review and guidelines for the management of meningioma in children, teenagers and young adults. Szychot E, Goodden J, Whitfield G, et al. Br J Neurosurg. 2020.
  9. Estimating brain volume loss after radiation therapy in children treated for posterior fossa tumors. Szychot E, Seunarine KK, Robles CA, et al. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2020; 29(3):1-7.
  10. Impact of induction chemotherapy, hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (HART) and high-dose thiotepa on brain volume loss and functional status of children with primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET). Szychot E, Seunarine K, Mankad K, et al. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017; 64(11).

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