Grant: Foundation Grant

Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy; Medical Physics; Modulated Electron Radiation Therapy; Monte Carlo Radiation Transport; Optimization; Radiation Damage Cross Sections; Radiation Dose Calculations; Radiation Oncology; Radiation Therapy Outcomes; Radiation Track Structure

<html> <body> <p>Radiation therapy (RT) success critically hinges on accurate and safe delivery of the intended radiation dose to the target. Improvements in RT are heavily driven by technological developments. To further advance the success of RT, technological developments need to be complemented with a more quantitative understanding of patient-specific response to RT. This is especially true with new RT technologies for which clinical experience is in an early stage, such as particle (proton and carbon) therapies or RT enhanced by nanomedicine.<br> <br>The <strong>overarching direction</strong> of the proposed research is to contribute to <em>improved efficacy of RT as a modality in the treatment of cancer</em>. Our program attempts to achieve this through the (1) <strong>pioneering</strong>&nbsp;<strong>new technology</strong> (mixed-beam electron-photon optimized RT (MBRT) and intra-operative RT (IORT) techniques with nanoparticle dose enhancement) and (2) <strong>discovery and standardization</strong> of physical radiation quality parameters predictive for cellular and clinical response to RT. This combined program brings together expertise in radiation physics, clinical radiation oncology, radiation biology, modeling and biophysics. The program&nbsp;has a <em>direct clinical impact</em> as well as a <em>long-term impact</em> on efficacy of new RT modalities such as particle therapy and intraoperative RT.&nbsp;</p> <p>Our group is considered <b>world-leading</b> in accurate dosimetry techniques with application in RT. This is demonstrated by seminal, award-winning publications (~150 peer-reviewed papers, AAPM Farrington Daniels Awards 2005, 2010 for best paper of the year in Med Phys; top 10 of best papers in Phys Med Biol, 2012), high-profile invited presentations, leading positions in international organizations, review for top journals and granting agencies and consultancies with numerous universities and government organizations.&nbsp;Our group has extensive <strong>international</strong> collaborations that support aspects of the proposed program, e.g., with Belgium, UK and Japan in which radiation dosimetry techniques for carbon RT beams are established. The PL&rsquo;s international interactions have led to an important <strong>new formalism</strong> in small-field RT dosimetry and MC applications all of which directly affect clinical practice. He is involved in a myriad of international organizations including IAEA, ICRU, and AAPM issuing to <strong>practice-changing guidelines</strong>. He has been the driving force behind trend-setting, international conferences on MC techniques in medical physics (2001 - present). The PL developed and directs the <em>CREATE Medical Physics Research Training Network</em> (MPRTN) funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, a network that fosters innovation, basic sciences and clinical impact. The research proposed provides trainees with an array of research training opportunities that include basic lab research, numerical modeling, detailed experiments and clinical applications.&nbsp;</p> <p>The proposed research program fosters the development of novel RT treatment techniques, designed to reduce complications and improve control. Our program interfaces with cellular and pre-clinical studies in our department that include molecular and imaging biomarkers in addition to dosimetric data to better quantify and predict the efficacy of RT. Our expertise in MC simulations and device development leads to novel techniques and increases the arsenal of tools available to the radiation oncologist in the treatment of cancer.</p> </body> </html>