Doctoral (PhD) position in physics, medical physics or engineering (m/f/d)

wanted for the next possible date at the Department of Radiation Oncology for the Quantification and reduction of uncertainties for online adaptive particle therapy.

In a joint project with partners in Heidelberg and Dresden, we aim to quantify and reduce uncertainties for online adaptive proton and carbon ion radiotherapy.

The physical properties of ion beams allow complex target volumes to be irradiated in a highly conformal manner, with less dose deposited in surrounding healthy tissue and the possibility to better spare critical radiosensitive structures compared to conventional radiotherapy. Successful application of particle therapy, however, requires precise knowledge of the localization of the target and critical structures during irradiation. In this context, MR imaging can be conducted in three ways: online (where the patient is present in the treatment setup), offline (where the patient is not present in the treatment setup), or real-time (where the patient is present in the treatment setup and MR imaging is performed along with irradiation). These three ways of MR imaging provide a valuable means to control target localization on a daily basis, offering superior soft tissue contrast and no additional radiation exposure compared to standard X-ray based control imaging. They also enhance the possibilities for treatment plan adaptation. A dedicated MRI system has recently been installed at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) to enable MR-based control imaging and to facilitate research for future MRI-based treatment adaptation.

In the context of this project we offer a PhD position for a physicist, medical physicist or engineer. The aim of the PhD project is to quantify the uncertainties for adaptive treatment with protons and heavier ions (e.g. carbon ions) at HIT and to develop methods to reduce the uncertainties in order to improve adaptive particle therapy. Both aspects are fundamental preparations for a successful clinical integration of an innovative MRI-guided particle therapy approach at our institution.