Dr Mary Anne Lagmay Tanay is a Filipino oncology nurse leader, educator and researcher whose work has shaped cancer nursing practice, education and patient-centred research in the United Kingdom and beyond. She is Consultant Nurse in Genomics at the Berkshire Cancer Centre, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, and President of the United Kingdom Oncology Nursing Society, a professional charity representing cancer nurses across the four UK nations. UKONS has more than 12,000 members and advances cancer nursing through education, research, policy development and professional collaboration. 

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Mary has been registered as a nurse in the UK since 2000. Her clinical background includes several years at The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where she held cancer nursing and cancer research nursing roles. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, followed by a specialist Cancer Nursing Diploma from The Royal Marsden School, an MSc in Nursing Research and a Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Education from King’s College London. She is also a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy and a Visiting Lecturer at King’s Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care. 

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A respected academic, Mary was awarded an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship and completed her PhD at King’s College London in 2023, receiving the Outstanding Thesis Prize. Her research focuses on supportive cancer care, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, patient experience and co-design methodology. Her King’s College London research profile lists 25 research outputs, including peer-reviewed articles, review papers, editorials and a book chapter. 

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Mary’s published work includes studies on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, behavioural intervention development, patient and public involvement, cancer nursing education, online cancer learning resources, and Filipino nurses’ perspectives on climate change and cancer care. Her NIHR-funded ReDMit project used experience-based co-design to support appropriate symptom reporting, treatment decision-making and mitigation of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. 

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Beyond her clinical and academic roles, Mary serves on the Advocacy Working Group of the European Oncology Nursing Society and is recognised as an expert speaker at national, European and international conferences. Her leadership is grounded in evidence, compassion and representation. As a Filipino nurse working at senior level in British cancer care, she brings both technical expertise and a deep commitment to making specialist nursing visible, valued and influential.