A University of Sydney researcher developing significant advances in lung cancer treatments was recognised with a major award on Wednesday at the National Health and Medical Research Council's 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards.

Professor Paul Keall is developing techniques to provide real-time information about the exact location and shape of tumours receiving radiation therapy. He took out the award for the top ranked project in the NHMRC's latest round of grants.

Professor Keall said his aim is to treat patients with the "lowest radiation dose in the shortest time by using the patient's breathing signal to guide how the tumours are imaged."

The technology he is developing, called 'respiratory motion guided 4D cone beam CT imaging', will lead to higher quality images of tumours - which typically move from 0.5 to 1cm and up to 5cm with breathing - in real time.

"The better images of the tumour we have, the better we can target the tumour and reduce toxic side effects such as pneumonitis," Professor Keall explained.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with 1.2 million new cases per year. Approximately 44 percent of lung cancer patients in Australia receive radiotherapy.

Currently the five-year survival rate for lung cancer patients is just 16 percent. Increasing radiation doses increases a patient's survival chances, but it also increases toxic side effects such as pneumonitis.

"I am delighted with the recognition of our project and I look forward to implementing our methods for patient treatment in the project's later stages," Professor Keall said.