Dr. Daniel Sapkaroski
Details
College: School of Health and Biomedical Sciences
Department: Health and Biomedical Sciences
Campus: Bundoora West Australia
daniel.sapkaroski2@rmit.edu.au
ORCID: 0000-0001-8094-0817
About
Dr Sapkaroski is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Radiation Sciences at RMIT University and a Radiation Therapy Clinician Scientist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. His work bridges academia, clinical practice, and technology development, with a focus on translating innovative research into meaningful improvements in patient care and healthcare education. He is passionate about developing solutions that improve the patient experience while equipping the next generation of healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in an evolving clinical landscape.
His research combines medical radiation sciences with digital technologies, including virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), medical imaging, and data science, to enhance clinical decision-making, education, and patient-centred care. He has led and collaborated on multidisciplinary projects spanning universities, hospitals, industry partners, and international collaborators, with a strong emphasis on translational research that delivers measurable clinical impact.
Research fields
- 3202 Clinical sciences
- 3211 Oncology and carcinogenesis
- 4203 Health services and systems
- 4205 Nursing
- 4206 Public health
Teaching interests
As a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at RMIT University, I strive to create a learning environment where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired to become confident healthcare professionals. My teaching spans the medical radiation sciences curriculum, with a particular focus on radiation therapy, advanced imaging technologies, and emerging areas of clinical practice.
I believe students learn best by doing. That’s why I incorporate virtual reality, simulation, gamification, and interactive digital learning experiences that mirror real clinical environments. By bringing together research, technology, and authentic clinical scenarios, I aim to help students build not only technical competence but also the confidence, communication skills, and critical thinking needed to deliver exceptional patient care.
Working closely with clinical partners, researchers, and industry enables me to bring the latest innovations directly into the classroom. My goal is to ensure graduates leave RMIT not only with a strong scientific foundation but also with the adaptability, curiosity, and compassion needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving healthcare profession.
Research interests
My research focuses on developing and evaluating innovative technologies that improve patient care, clinical education, and healthcare delivery across the medical radiation sciences. My research interests include:
- Paediatric radiation therapy, with a focus on improving the patient experience, reducing treatment-related anxiety, and minimising the need for general anaesthesia through immersive digital interventions.
- Digital distraction therapy and projection mapping, including the development of the Light the Way program—an internationally recognised initiative transforming radiation therapy treatment environments through personalised projection mapping, interactive content, and multisensory experiences for children undergoing cancer treatment.
- Virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) for healthcare education, patient preparation, and clinical simulation. My work includes the development of some of the world’s first fully immersive VR training platforms for radiation therapy and medical imaging, enabling students and clinicians to practise complex clinical procedures within authentic virtual environments.
- Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics for medical imaging, radiotherapy, workflow optimisation, and clinical decision support.
- Radiation therapy innovation, including image-guided radiation therapy, surface-guided radiation therapy, motion management, treatment quality assurance, and the application of novel technologies to improve treatment accuracy and efficiency.
- Clinical simulation and educational technologies, creating immersive and interactive learning experiences that enhance student engagement, clinical competence, and workforce readiness.
- Translational research and digital health, working collaboratively with clinicians, engineers, software developers, designers, and industry partners to translate innovative ideas into real-world healthcare solutions.
My overarching research goal is to develop evidence-based technologies that improve patient outcomes, transform healthcare education, and advance the delivery of compassionate, patient-centred cancer care.
