After spending ten years in biomedical science and biomedical engineering within the NHS, Alison Leary undertook a nursing diploma at The Nightingale School at St Thomas Hospital (now Kings College London). She attained a Masters in biomedical science (Haematology) before specialising in lung cancer and thoracic surgery. Alison obtained PhD in medicine from University College London in thoracic oncology and she continues to research in this area and also undertakes various projects around the modelling of complex systems. Alison is currently Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse at The Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and a Visiting Lecturer at Kings College London.