Dr Zoë Winters is a clinical academic breast cancer surgeon with an established clinical practice over 11 years.  Dr Winters was the recipient of a prestigious Nuffield Senior research Fellowship from the University of Oxford to complete her post-graduate PhD degree at the Institute of Molecular Medicine in 1999. Dr Winters was also the recipient of the King James IV honorary Professorship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburg in 2001 for her contribution to surgical research.

Dr Winters is focused on establishing high-level clinical evidence to support women and health care professionals in recommending types of breast reconstruction. Her research particularly takes account of women’s quality of life from all perspectives after surgery, radiotherapy and other medical treatments.

Director and Head of the Breast Reconstruction Quality of Life and clinical outcomes research group, University of Bristol.  Lead for Clinical research at the Multidisciplinary meeting at the University Hospitals of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

National committee of the Association of Cancer Surgeons
Chief Investigator of QUEST trials A and B (Cancer Research UK and BUPA Foundation).
Chair elect of the British Breast Group for national research into breast cancer
Chair of the Breast Reconstruction Quality of life subgroup of the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).
Chief Investigator of the EORTC development of the first European patient reported breast reconstruction questionnaire to assess quality of life after all types of breast reconstruction in the UK and in Europe.
Chief Investigator of the largest patient study on quality of life after types of latissimus dorsi (back flap) breast reconstruction.
Invited European Faculty of Allergan UK
Past scientific committee member for Breast Cancer Campaign grant awarding body.
Founding Trustee of a national charity dedicated to clinical research into breast cancer called Abreast cancer research Abreast is dedicated to research that tries to make an individual difference to women with the disease in terms of all aspects of their quality of life, including the funding of supportive measures that may help women after breast cancer surgery.

Dr Winters is the Director and head of the Breast Reconstruction Patient Reported Outcomes (PROMS) and Clinical outcomes research group at the School of Clinical Sciences at the University of Bristol and the University Hospitals of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.  The group was established in 2006 and Dr Winters is the Chief Investigator on the first randomized controlled trial looking at women’s quality of life after different types and timings of breast reconstruction across 15 UK centers.  This is a national trial that is supported by the national cancer research network in the UK.  The aim is to provide the much-needed clinical evidence in the field by understanding how women feel from all perspectives of their daily functioning and satisfaction after breast reconstruction surgery. The trial is called QUEST (Quality of Life after Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction) and it is also trying to gain an understanding of what may be best after radiotherapy when breast reconstruction is planned. The trial is a feasibility study and is also asking women and health care professional for their views.

Dr Winters is the chief investigator on two other UK and European multicenter studies in breast reconstruction. Cancer Research UK and BUPA Foundation. Dr Winters collaborates with the Institute of Cancer Research linked to the Royal Marsden Hospital and with many national and European surgeons in the field.

Dr Winters has published over 35 peer reviewed scientific papers in high impact factor journals in science and surgery. Dr Winters is also an invited guest lecturer nationally and internationally and delivered 21 plenary lectures since 2001 and remains the only female Consultant Breast surgeon in the Bristol area.

Royal College of Surgeons
British Association of Surgical Oncologists