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Title: Construction and validation of an ultra high dose power electron beam generating station (FLASH RT)
Total project value: PLN 9 324 777.60
Amount of co-financing from European Funds: PLN 5 647 934,4 zł
The amount of funding from the state budget - targeted subsidy: PLN 796 017,60 zł
Operational Programme Name: Wielkopolska Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020
Number and name of the Priority Axis within the Operational Programme: Priority Axis 1: Innovative and competitive economy
Number and name of the Measure under the Priority Axis: Measure 1.1 Support for R&D infrastructure in the science sector
Project end date: December 20, 2023
Consortium composed of: National Centre for Nuclear Research, Wielkopolska Oncology Centre, Institute of Chemistry and Nuclear Technology and High Technology Centre in Świerk Hitec-Świerk Sp. z o. o.
Project brief:
Radiotherapy is a component of cancer treatment and is evolving with the development of biological and technical sciences. Developments in biology allow us to better
understanding of the mechanisms by which ionising radiation interacts with cancerous tumours and healthy tissues, making it possible to develop new and optimise existing radiotherapy methods. One such novel method is FLASH radiotherapy, which uses very high dose powers of over 40 Gy/s, at least 100 times higher than conventional radiotherapy (dose powers of 0.01-0.40 Gy/s). Producing a device that works reliably and safely with such an intense electron beam is a huge technological challenge, however, there are currently no dedicated devices in the world and those used in research are often only modified medical accelerators. Physical and biological research using high-dose power radiation is currently at the pre-clinical research stage and is gradually moving into the clinical phase.
The main task of the project is to build a test bed for FLASH therapy, which will become the first research infrastructure of its kind in Poland, equipped with an electron radiation source dedicated to this technique, which is an achievement of science and technology. This will provide Polish science with the opportunity to conduct research on a new type of radiotherapy and, in the long term, may implement a new method of treatment for Polish oncological patients.
FLASH News
Accelerator in search of new cancer therapies
The FLASH therapy may be a promising method of destroying tumours while better preserving healthy cells. An accelerator built at the NCBJ is already supporting research into this treatment modality at the Wielkopolska Oncology Centre.
NCBJ is building a station generating an ultra-high dose electron beam (FLASH)
At the NCBJ Nuclear Equipment Department, with the participation of the NCBJ Nuclear Equipment and Techniques Department, the accelerator structure for the new FLASH therapy research station was designed and built. The pioneer stand is to use the construction of the AQURE medical accelerator and is ultimately to operate at the WCO in Poznań.
Article about FLASH appreciated by SEP
Promising results of the first studies and tests of radiotherapy using ultra-high FLASH dose rates mean that interest in this technique is constantly growing. Research in this field is appreciated, as confirmed by the award received recently for an article on FLASH therapy by scientists from the NCBJ Nuclear Equipment Department.
FLASH type accelerator: a new method of fighting cancer
Two projects implemented jointly with the National Center for Nuclear Research and financed from the funds for science of the Wielkopolska Region were presented at the Wielkopolska Oncology Centre. A completely new solution is the FLASH electron accelerator, which sends microsecond therapeutic impulses with a dose rate of several dozen grays per second. Preclinical trials with the device will begin next year.
