School on Medical Accelerators at CNAO
The QUASAR Group with project partners from across Europe organised the first scientific School of the OMA Project coordinated by the University of Liverpool at CNAO in Pavia, Italy between 4th - 9th June. The event gathered 75 delegates from across Europe. Along the OMA School, CNAO also hosted a School of the Medicis-Promed Innovative Training Network which provided excellent opportunities for networking between two major European Training Networks that are supported within the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).
The OMA School brought together researchers working at interface between physics and life sciences. Lectures given by renowned scientists covered such areas as beam physics and diagnostics, accelerators technologies, medical applications of accelerators and treatment processes. These lectures and the following study sessions were chaired by the Deputy QUASAR Group leader Dr. Javier Resta López, who also did a talk on Beam Physics Fundamentals. Moreover, two more QUASARs were giving talk, Dr Ralph Fiorito explaining advanced beam measurement techniques and methods in his Beam Diagnostics lecture and Magda Klimontowska from the Project T.E.A.M. gave an introduction talk about the OMA network. Former QUASAR Dr Adam Jeff also contributed a lecture on Beam Diagnostics.
Dr Javier Resta López is giving a lecture on Beam Physics Fundamentals
OMA Fellow Jacinta Yap and QUASAR Roland Schnuererattended the School as participants and broadened their knowledge about Medical Accelerators. They found the School an excellent opportunity to further discuss all lectures during study sessions and share their research progress and experience with other early stage researchers. In a dedicated poster session, they presented their work on Halo Dose Correlation in a Medical Accelerator and about a Non-invasive Online Beam Monitor using LHCb VELO.
Jacinta Yap and Roland Schnuerer presenting their latest R&D during the poster session.
Finally, the event also included a public lecture about hadron therapy, as well as a dedicated industry session to bridge between different sectors.
QUASAR Group leader Prof Carsten Welsch directed the School and chaired Steering Committee and Supervisory Board meetings which took place during this busy week; He also drew proceedings to a close summarising the week’s main outcomes and successes. The practical organization was done by Magda Klimontowska in close collaboration with colleagues from CNAO, in particular Dr Monica Necchi.
The School created an excellent opportunity for young researchers to gain from expertise of renowned scientists. It started a whole series of training events, with a School on Monte Carlo Simulations for Medical Applications coming up as the next one, in November 2017.
All talks are available via the following website: https://indico.cern.ch/event/595518/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 675265.
