Dr M Merchant, Dr D Angal-Kalinin, Prof Roger M. Jones
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
VHEE (Very High-Energy Electron) radiotherapy, in the range 50 MeV to 250 MeV has important implications for a novel radiation treatment system for cancer. It may have significant benefits over other means of radiotherapy treatment and hence has the potential to form a complementary treatment. The CLARA (Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Application) facility at Daresbury Laboratory (DL) provides a unique facility to provide ground-breaking experiments in this area. We will also extend experiments we have made at CERN’s CLEAR (CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research) facility.
Proton therapy has potential benefits over X-ray therapy. Recent studies conducted at CERN’s CLEAR facility and at SLAC and other laboratories, have indicated the potential to use VHEE for radiotherapy. Protons, for example, suffer from range uncertainty and are hence not well-suited to all forms of cancer radiotherapy treatment. Studies at CALIFES, conducted by university of Manchester researchers has demonstrated the relative range independence of VHEE beams –and hence this will have a unique potential for treatment of deep-seated tumours. In this sense VHEE radiotherapy is a complementary form of radiotherapy with applicability for specific tumours. The research in this area is a very active and rapidly developing area. In addition to the relative insensitivity to inhomogeneities there may indeed be advantages of this technique over extant methods –such as more precise and rapid delivery to tumours with reduced fractionation (less patient visits needed with a more conformal high dose delivered). Indeed recent results in the area of ultra-high dose “FLASH” radiotherapy indicate considerable sparing of healthy tissue whilst in the presence of a high dose of limited duration.
This project will explore the fundamental delivery to target specimens using the CLARA facility at DL; which will provide beam up energies of ~50 MeV in the first stage and later ~250MeV. The student will be based a significant fraction of time at DL. Initially, the student will work with ASTeC staff on VELA/CLARA –using the existing 50 MeV beam in order to become familiar with the control system and fundamental characteristics of the beamline. This will serve as a guide, and will be essential to later work on the 250 MeV beam of CLARA.
The student will be based at the School of Physics and Astronomy and will work with colleagues at the Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, who have extensive experience modelling and measuring the biological response to radiation. The student will integrate VHEE dosimetry measurement data with mathematical models for biologically-augmented dose, to compare the biological response of VHEE to other radiation qualities. This will necessarily entail close collaboration with the Christie.
This project has simulation, analytical and experimental aspects to it. The research area is aligned to particle accelerator physics and medical physics. The focus of the project will be determined according to the student’s interest and aptitude.
The successful candidate will have or expect to obtain a first or upper second-class degree or equivalent (e.g. MPhys, MSci) in physics. Experience of accelerator physics, medical physics or computational physics is desirable but not essential.
Funding and eligibility: The project is fully funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council for 3.5 years; UK and other EU citizens are eligible to apply. A full package of training and support will be provided by the Cockcroft Institute, and the student will take part in a vibrant accelerator research and education community of over 150 people. An IELTS score of at least 6.5 is required.
Contact Prof. R.M. Jones ([Email Address Removed]) or Dr. M. Merchant ([Email Address Removed]) for further information and informal discussions.
How to apply: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply/
Application deadline: 12th January 2018.
Anticipated Start Date: September 2018 for 3.5 Years