Colloquium: How nuclear physics can treat cancer - radiotherapy at TRIUMF

Speaker

Cornelia Hoehr, TRIUMF, University of Victoria

Bio

Cornelia Hoehr received her Ph.D. in physics from Heidelberg University in Germany and the Max-Plank institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg. After a post-doctoral research term at the Argonne National Lab, USA, she then moved to TRIUMF as a post-doctoral researcher, and subsequently took on roles in operation and facilities in isotope production and proton therapy. In 2013 she became a research scientist at TRIUMF and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria, and in 2018 she became Adjunct at the University of British Columbia and took over the role as Deputy Associate Laboratory Director – Life Sciences at TRIUMF. Her research interests are focused on medical isotope production and proton therapy. She is a member of the steering committee for the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group (PTCOG), consultant to the IAEA in isotope production, and was chair of the TRIUMF User Group Executive Committee (TUEC).

Abstract

Besides being Canada's particle accelerator centre with emphasis on nuclear, particle and accelerator physics, TRIUMF has a long history of medical isotope production and radiotherapy. Cancer treatment with different particles has been a long-standing commitment at TRIUMF, first with pion therapy and then with proton therapy, for many years operating Canada's only proton therapy facility. To improve treatment with protons, we have established new beam-shaping methodologies by employing additive manufacturing, are investigating new detectors for proton dosimetry, and are researching range verification. In addition, we investigating using alpha and auger emitters for targeted radioisotope therapy and are building a facility at our new ARIEL accelerator to take advantage of its large flux to investigate treatment with photons in less than a second in Flash therapy.