About

I am Elaine Vickers, PhD, an educator and writer on cancer biology and systemic cancer treatments, with over two decades of experience in making these topics accessible and interesting to non-scientists.

elaine vickers speaking with contacts
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Meet Elaine

My work is not just about communicating science, but also about empowering healthcare professionals.

I aim to help them have more meaningful conversations with their patients and each other, ultimately improving the lives of cancer patients. 

I create illustrations and materials that illuminate cancer biology and explain cancer treatments’ mechanisms of action (and inaction). Over the years, I have honed my skills in creating study days, conference presentations, and online courses. 

I range from creating content suitable for cancer patients to explaining cutting-edge science to experienced cancer professionals.

About Science Communicated Ltd.

I am Elaine Vickers, and Science Communicated Ltd is my company. I graduated with my degree in Medical Science in 1998 and completed my PhD in Molecular Biology in 2002. I then spent around nine years working for various medical research charities, including four years in the Science Information Team at Cancer Research UK. 

In 2011, I decided to take the plunge and pursue my passion for providing interesting and accessible education on new cancer treatments. So, I became self-employed and set up Science Communicated Ltd. 

Since 2011, I have developed an increasing range of study days and materials that can be delivered in person or via online platforms such as Teams or Zoom. In some, I provide broad overviews of cancer biology and the science behind targeted cancer treatments and immunotherapy. Other courses focus on individual cancer types, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, cancers of the digestive system, or haematological cancers.

My courses range from those suitable for people completely new to the topics covered, through to advanced courses suitable for clinical nurse specialists, experienced pharmacists, and trials coordinators. My courses also attract oncologists and medical researchers. 

Take a look at the complete list of my current courses.

I also take on various commissions, such as speaking at conferences, developing scripts for educational animations, and writing (as well as recording and editing!) online videos. 

The second edition of my book, published in November 2024, is called A Beginner’s Guide to Targeted Cancer Treatments and Cancer Immunotherapy.

The first edition was highly commended by the British Medical Association Medical Book Awards in 2019.

How I Work

With each client, I discuss three main areas with them:

  • The topics they’d like me to cover
  • The audience and their existing level of knowledge
  • The length and format of the education they want me to provide

1.

Topics

This is often the area that clients have the best understanding of. They might want me to provide a general idea of why people get cancer and what treatments exist, or they might ask me to provide teaching about the latest treatments for a specific cancer type. Together, we pin down exactly what I need to cover in my teaching.

2.

Audience

I can only provide useful and understandable information if I understand my audience, so I need to clarify this with each client. I want to know who I’m teaching and what they want to know. I also want to know what level of understanding they already have and what context they’re working in. If I understand who I’m teaching, I can start my materials at the right point and focus on the areas of greatest importance.

3.

Format

Some clients come to me with only a vague idea that they’d like “some kind of online course,” “some lunchtime seminars,” or “an animation.” Together, we can explore whether in-person or online teaching would be best, how long and what format it should take and, if relevant, what time of day it should be delivered.

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