Creating models to understand how radiation affects the immune system through blood
Developing whole-body computational phantoms for blood dosimetry to model the impact of radiation on the immune system
This study is looking at how radiation therapy affects your immune system, especially your blood and lymphocytes, to help doctors plan treatments that protect these important parts of your body and improve your overall health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10874474 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing advanced computational models to analyze how radiation therapy impacts the immune system, specifically through its effects on blood and circulating lymphocytes. By creating whole-body phantoms, the researchers aim to quantify the radiation dose received by these critical components of the immune system. This innovative approach will help optimize treatment planning in radiation oncology, ensuring that lymphatic nodes and blood are considered as organs at risk during therapy. The ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes by minimizing the adverse effects of radiation on the immune system.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include adults and adolescents undergoing radiation therapy who are concerned about the impact on their immune system.
Not a fit: Patients who are not receiving radiation therapy or those with conditions unrelated to blood or immune system responses may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective radiation therapy that better preserves immune function in patients.
How similar studies have performed: While the approach of using whole-body computational phantoms is innovative, similar methodologies in radiation therapy have shown promise in improving treatment outcomes.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Paganetti, Harald — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Paganetti, Harald
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.