| Project Detail |
Real-time measurement of radiotherapy dose
Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses ionising radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. Being able to effectively measure the radiation dose given to the patient in real time during the treatment is of utmost importance. Funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the IDEATE project proposes to develop flexible, large-area, portable and wearable high-energy radiation detectors based on two innovative semiconductors: perovskite and organic small molecules. In addition, the team will explore the fundamental mechanisms of interaction between ionising radiation and these materials to maximise the detecting efficiency of the final device. Finally, these detectors will be validated in medical facilities, paving the way for commercialisation of the technology.
IDEATE aims to develop a ground-breaking class of high energy radiation direct detectors based on perovskite (PVK) and organic (OS) thin films. The target is to define and implement gender-specific medical protocols during cancer radiotherapy treatments, thanks to a beam monitoring and real-time measurement of the dose delivered to the patient. This ambitious and revolutionary result will be attained by four intermediate goals: 1) model the mechanisms of interaction between ionizing radiation and PVK and OS thin films, 2) design and fabrication of PVK/OS single pixel detectors with different device architectures, 3) validation of each material/device architecture single pixel under X-Rays and proton beams to identify the best combinations which fulfil the target specifications, 4) realization of two DEMOs formed by a 3x3 pixels matrix onto flexible substrates, of a dedicated portable read-out electronics and validation of the integrated system under relevant irradiation conditions in medical radiation therapy facilities. The final DEMOs will represent the starting prototypes to be industrialized and commercialized by a start-up that I’m going to set up at the end of the fellowship. The interdisciplinarity and intersectoral approach adopted by IDEATE will be the result of the merge of different competences offered by University of Bologna (12-months return phase, supervisor Prof. Fraboni, expert in ionizing radiation detectors and semiconductor defect states characterization), by Columbia University (23-months outgoing phase, supervisor Prof. Kymissis, expert in electronic devices based on unconventional materials) and Kairos Sensors LLC Company (1 month internship, expert in industrialization and commercialization of innovative radiation sensing technologies). I will receive excellent training during the entire action enforcing my scientific skills but also ability in communication, dissemination, technology transfer, sustainable development, and female leadership. |
