PhD-student

Job description

Your work will focus on the development of optimization methods to maximize dose rate and the FLASH effect in clinically acceptable treatment plans. A beam model comprising FLASH transmission (shoot-through) and FLASH-compatible Bragg peak beams will be developed in close collaboration with HollandPTC. Optimization methods for pencil-beam weights, distributions and delivery (scan patters) will be developed and implemented. And heuristic FLASH models will be developed and applied to benchmark different strategies. And automated larger scale planning studies will be executed to assess the impact of model, motion and machine uncertainties and to identify promising application for future clinical FLASH-PT studies.

Work environment

Are you interested in a PhD in which you will make a substantial contribution to the development of FLASH proton therapy to a more full-blown proton therapy treatment modality for clinical studies and future routine patient treatments? Are you interested in working in a multidisciplinary team of physicists, medical physicists and clinicians? Do you want to contribute to improved cancer treatment with cutting edge technology in a clinical setting? Then the HollandPTC consortium is looking for you!

Within the HollandPTC consortium, consisting of Erasmus MC, LUMC and TU Delft, a large multidisciplinary research project on FLASH proton therapy (FLASH-PT) is about to start. When irradiating tissues with (ultra) high dose-rates, i.e., FLASH radiotherapy, a differential response between healthy and cancerous tissue is observed, where the radiosensitivity in healthy tissue was reduced compared to the tumor. Due to their physical properties, proton beams can more accurately target the tumor, compared to conventional radiotherapy, resulting in better sparing of surrounding healthy tissue. FLASH-PT, aiming to combine the physical advantages of proton therapy (PT) with those of FLASH, is a promising new direction in radiotherapy. The improved healthy tissue sparing is expected to reduce treatment side effects and enable higher tumor doses, when necessary, both to the benefit of patients. Furthermore, the fast delivery will reduce the impact of motion and may significantly shorten treatment times.
This research project will significantly contribute to making FLASH proton therapy clinically available at HollandPTC. It is a consortium-wide project with four PhD students at Erasmus MC, LUMC, TU Delft and HollandPTC working on different clinical and medical physics research questions. 
The research project covers the implementation of FLASH-PT treatments with respiratory gating, the generation of effective FLASH-PT treatment plans and the optimization thereof, as well as experimental verification of FLASH proton beam delivery during treatment.
 

Qualifications and skills

• You are a highly motivated candidate with a master's degree in Computational Sciences or (Applied) Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or a related discipline.
• You are enthusiastic when solving a problem via programming (Matlab, Python, and C/C++), and you are skilled in mathematical modelling and optimization.

As you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, good communication skills are essential. You are ambitious, result-driven and an excellent team player. Excellent technical skills as well as academic writing and presentation skills in English are required.

Before you apply please check our conditions for employment.

Terms of employment

• You will receive a temporary position for 4 years. The gross monthly salary is € 2.789,- in the 1st year and increases to € 3.536,- in the 4th year (scale OIO).
• A 4% Collective Labour Agreement payraise starting November 2023.
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and an individual travel expense package.
• Pension insurance with ABP, we take care of approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution.
• Special benefits, such as an incompany physiotherapist and bicycle repairer. There is also a gym where you can work on your fitness after work.

More information

For more information about this position, please contact, Mischa Hoogeman, Hoogleraar/hoofd Fysica 06 248 515 34.

No agencies please.