Using ionization details to improve particle radiation planning
Ionization Detail - Biologically based treatment planning for particle therapy beyond LET-RBE
This work aims to make proton and carbon radiation treatments safer and more precise for people with cancer by using detailed ionization patterns along particle tracks to guide planning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182537 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at the tiny patterns of ionizing events that particle beams leave along their tracks and uses those details to predict biological damage more accurately than current LET or RBE numbers. The team combines computer modeling with lab tests on cells and biological samples to compare ionization-detail predictions against existing RBE models. They will refine algorithms that translate those predictions into treatment-planning software for proton and carbon therapy. If successful, the updated planning tools could help clinicians shape doses to better target tumors while reducing harm to normal tissues.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are receiving or being considered for proton or carbon ion radiation therapy for cancer would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who are treated only with conventional photon (X-ray) radiation or who are not candidates for particle therapy are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce side effects and improve tumor control by making particle therapy dosing more biologically accurate.
How similar studies have performed: Existing LET- and RBE-based planning methods are used clinically but have known limits, and prior laboratory work supports ionization-detail approaches as promising though clinical adoption is still novel.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Faddegon, Bruce — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Faddegon, Bruce
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.