James Cook radiologist receives Teesside University honorary professorship

A consultant radiologist at The James Cook University Hospital has been appointed an honorary professor at Teesside University, adding a new academic role to work that already spans patient care, research and clinical education.

Professor Maya Jafari is a consultant musculoskeletal radiologist with University Hospitals Tees. The honorary professorship sits within Teesside University’s School of Health and Life Sciences and was announced by South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on 8 September.

Research rooted in patient care

Jafari’s work focuses on musculoskeletal imaging, including X-rays, MRI, CT, ultrasound and image-guided procedures. Her NHS consultant profile also identifies her as the trust’s radiology research lead and a chief investigator on National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded work involving adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

That research has a practical local focus. A study announced by South Tees in 2025 is exploring how imaging for children and young people with scoliosis could reduce radiation exposure. Young patients with the condition can need repeated spinal X-rays so clinicians can monitor changes and make treatment decisions. The project is examining both the technology and the views of patients, families and health professionals.

Jafari has also been involved in research examining the use of artificial intelligence in medical imaging. Separate public and professional surveys launched by the trust have looked at how patients feel about AI being used in X-ray departments and how imaging professionals work alongside the technology.

From Teesside student to university professor

Her connection with Teesside University predates the new appointment. Jafari holds an MSc in Evidence-Based Medicine (Orthopaedics) from the university. Her NHS biography says she completed her medical training in Sydney, Australia, before undertaking surgical and radiology training in the UK, including a post-certification musculoskeletal fellowship in Leeds.

She also contributes to radiology nationally through the Royal College of Radiologists. Her South Tees profile lists her as the musculoskeletal editor and clinical adviser for iRefer, guidance designed to support decisions about appropriate imaging.

Education has run alongside that clinical and research work. Her NHS profile records teaching and supervision for radiology trainees and allied health professionals across the North East and North Cumbria, as well as work helping healthcare staff develop confidence in research and evidence. That mix matters because imaging is changing quickly, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes part of more NHS workflows and clinicians need to understand both its possibilities and its limits.

Reflecting on the honorary professorship, Jafari said it felt “particularly special to have my contribution recognised in this way”. She has trained and worked in the North East since 2005.

Closer links between hospital and university

The appointment means Jafari will contribute to teaching, academic development and research within the School of Health and Life Sciences while continuing her clinical work. South Tees says the role is also intended to strengthen collaboration between the university and NHS teams, particularly where research and education can feed back into patient care.

For Teesside, that connection puts a working hospital specialist into a formal university role without taking her away from clinical practice. It also gives students and researchers access to experience built across imaging, research design, national guidance and day-to-day NHS care.