GRK 2274:  Advanced Medical Physics for Image-Guided Cancer Therapy

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 2017 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 299102935

Cancer is a major societal challenge, where the combination of novel imaging and computational techniques with advanced therapeutic strategies is key to early diagnosis, exact tumour characterization and successful treatment. The goal of the proposed Research Training Group (GRK2274) is to promote young scientists from natural sciences and medicine in this rapidly growing field of medical physics. GRK2274 covers basic, translational and clinical research, building upon a long tradition of excellence in biomedical research in Munich from the two universities (LMU, TUM) and the Helmholtz center (HMGU). The multi- and interdisciplinary research programme will touch upon innovative areas of computing, imaging and therapy, addressed in synergistic Ph.D. and M.D. projects with the common goal to advance image- guided cancer therapy. The original qualification concept will feature a broad spectrum of compulsory and eligible training activities, to ensure not only academic excellence and scientific independence, but also the development of fundamental personal effectiveness. For each doctoral candidate, an individual advisory committee of physicists, physicians and, if applicable, industrial representatives will be instated. The members of GRK2274 will be given ample opportunities for interdisciplinary and international networking, including the visit of distinguished international scientists and research stays abroad. Training of physicists in medical oncology and participation in clinical tumor boards are examples of the innovative approaches to provide multidisciplinary knowledge and clinical perspectives. The proposed network will 4Proposal GRK2274 - Advanced Medical Physics for Image-Guided Cancer Therapy benefit from vast resources in terms of interinstitutional and interdisciplinary connections, state-of-the-art experimental and clinical infrastructures, established graduate schools and a Cluster of Excellence. GRK2274 m\\ thus provide the ideal platform to develop an internationally recognized research and training programme in medical physics in Germany, promoting innovations in oncology with a potentially high societal impact, and to form the next generation of scientists with excellent career prospects in academia, clinic and industry.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Business and Industry: GE Global Research ; Imaging Technologies
• Co-Applicant Institution: Technische Universität München (TUM)
• Participating Institution: Helmholtz Zentrum München; Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt
• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Katia Parodi
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Claus Belka; Professorin Dr. Paola Coan; Professorin Dr. Stephanie Combs; Professorin Dr. Birgit Ertl-Wagner; Professor Dr. Björn Menze; Professorin Dr. Marion Irene Menzel; Professor Dr. Stephan Nekolla; Professor Dr. Peter Noël; Professor Dr. Franz Pfeiffer; Professor Dr. Werner Rühm; Professor Dr. Jörg Schreiber; Professor Dr. Ronald Sroka; Professor Dr. Jan J. Wilkens; Professorin Dr. Sibylle Ilse Ziegler