Professor Jo Waller

Profile

I joined the Centre for Cancer Prevention, Screening and Early Diagnosis in September 2023 after working for four years in the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences at King’s College London. Prior to that, I spent 20 years in the departments of Epidemiology and Public Health and Behavioural Science and Health at UCL. With a background in health psychology (MSc and PhD from UCL), I lead a team of behavioural science researchers working in the field of cancer screening and early diagnosis. 

Our research aims to understand acceptability and uptake of cancer screening, including novel innovations like risk-stratification, HPV self-sampling and the use of AI, as well as new screening technologies including the capsule sponge test for oesophageal cancer screening and multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests. We also have a strong focus on assessing the psychological impact of participation in screening and receiving different screening results. We use quantitative and qualitative methods. 

I am Deputy Director of the Cancer Prevention Trials Unit (Director: Prof Peter Sasieni), leading behavioural science activities associated with the trial portfolio.

I work closely with the NHS cancer screening programmes and am a member of the UK National Screening Committee’s Research and Methodology Group, and Cancer Research UK’s Early Detection and Diagnosis funding committee. 

Research

Research Interests:

• Cervical screening, including understanding barriers to participation, the acceptability of HPV self-sampling, attitudes towards a choice of HPV self-sampling vs. clinician screening and the role of HPV self-sampling in addressing social inequalities in screening uptake.
• Breast screening, including barriers to participation (particularly pain), attitudes to risk-stratification within the breast screening programme, and attitudes towards the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the reading of mammograms
• Attitudes and psychological impact in relation to multi-cancer detection (MCD) blood test screening
• Public perspectives on cancer screening and early diagnosis, with a current focus on PSA testing and prostate cancer screening
• Barriers and facilitators of uptake of capsule sponge test (‘cytosponge’) screening for oesophageal cancer and Barrett’s oesophagus, and psychological impact of different capsule sponge test results.
• Application of behavioural science to clinical trial methodology (including recruitment and retention strategies)

Publications

Please click here for a complete list of Jo's publications.

Recent publications:

Evolving attitudes towards cancer screening: a 2024 update of UK population views. Dannhauser FC, Usher-Smith JA, Massou E, Waller J, Dennison RA.Br J Cancer. 2026 Jun 17. doi: 10.1038/s41416-026-03505-y.

The effect of different combinations of open invitations and timed appointments on breast screening attendance: service evaluation of invitation strategies in the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Li SJ, Brentnall AR, Cookson J, Hudson S, Quaife SL, Webb S, O'Sullivan E, Jenkins J, Waller J, Duffy SW, Offman J.Br J Cancer. 2026 May 14. doi: 10.1038/s41416-026-03436-8. 

Acceptability of Using Artificial Intelligence in the National Health Service Breast Screening Program: A Randomized Online Survey of Screening-Eligible Women in England. Gatting L, Jones CK, Jamshidi B, Kehagia AA, Waller J.Mayo Clin Proc Digit Health. 2025 Dec 17;4(1):100329.

Experience of NHS diagnostic investigation following a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) screening test: qualitative interviews with NHS-Galleri trial participants who had a cancer signal detected. Marlow LAV, Schmeising-Barnes N, Waller J.EClinicalMedicine. 2026 Jan 8;91:103733.

Supervision

Current:

• Ninian Schmeising-Barnes (Queen Mary University of London; 2024-2028); Cancer Research UK; Barriers and facilitators to uptake of the capsule sponge test in people at elevated risk of oesophageal cancer. 
• Margaret Duku(University College London; 2020-2025); Self-funded; Differential barriers to screening for cervical, breast and bowel cancer screening among women aged 50-70 years across different demographics in London.
• Hannah Truscott(University of Leeds; 2024-2027); Yorkshire Cancer Research/University of Leeds; Cervical screening in women affected by overweight and obesity.
• Victoria Cullimore (University of Exeter; 2025-2029); Improving post-natal cervical screening.

Recently completed:

• Hannah Drysdale (King’s College London; 2020-2025); Cancer Research UK; Using non-speculum approaches to reduce inequalities in cervical cancer screening