Professor John Boyages is a radiation oncologist with over 20 years' experience in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, and in the conduct of health outcomes research related to breast cancer management. He was the founding director of one of the largest mammographic screening programs in Australia, the Western Breast Screening Unit, was the architect of a successful tender from the Western Areas Breast Group to establish the NSW Breast Cancer Institute in 1995, and is Executive Director of the Institute.

He has published more than 95 peer-reviewed research and clinical articles, and is committed to the dissemination of research findings to lay and professional audiences. Prof. Boyages' current international, national, State and local roles include: Assessor, NHMRC research proposals; Member UICC TNM International Expert Advisory Panel; Member, Ministerial Review Committee (Department of Health and Ageing, NHMRC) on the use of the Tronado Microwave; Advisor, Department of General Surgery, Breast Service, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore; Editorial Reviewer, British Journal of Surgery, European Journal of Cancer, and Australasian Radiology; Member, National Breast Cancer Centre's Implementation Advisory Group; Member, Management Committee, NHMRC-funded Breast Cancer Biospecimen Resource Program and the NSW Cancer Institute's multidisciplinary Oncology Advisory Group. In 2006 Prof. Boyages received a national medical media award for outstanding service to the media and community.