Podcast / 7 July, 2026 / Ellie Thompson

Parental Control, Ep 137: Can We Change The Future Of DIPG? A Conversation With Dr Ashley Vardon

What is it like to dedicate your career to finding a cure for one of the deadliest childhood cancers?

In this deeply personal episode of Parental Control, Ellie Thompson sits down with Dr Ashley Vardon, an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Birmingham, whose pioneering research into diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is being part-funded by Billy’s Battalion.

Together, they explore what life is like on “the other side of the room”—the side where doctors and researchers must deliver devastating diagnoses while working tirelessly to change the future. From the latest breakthroughs in childhood brain cancer research to the hope emerging from global scientific collaboration, this is an honest conversation about grief, determination and why every research project matters.

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About Dr Ashley Vardon

Dr Ashley Vardon is a paediatric oncology registrar and NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer based at the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He combines caring for children with cancer in the NHS with pioneering laboratory research focused on diffuse midline glioma (DMG), including DIPG, one of the deadliest childhood brain tumours.

After completing a PhD in Cancer Biology at University College London, Ashley’s research has focused on developing innovative immunotherapies, including CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies, with the aim of creating new treatment options for children diagnosed with aggressive brain tumours. Alongside his clinical and research work, he is a passionate advocate for improving academic medicine and supporting the next generation of clinician-scientists.

Show Notes

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