PhD student in Medical Radiation Physics oriented towards Radiobiology
The advertised PhD position focus on assessment, prediction and reduction of radiotherapy induced lymphopenia. Ref. No. SU FV-2753-26, closing date: 28 September 2026.
Project description
Subject: Medical Radiation Physics
Medical Radiation Physics is a vast and complex translational research topic that deals with radiation physics applied to medicine and biology for medical radiation imaging and radiation therapy. The advertised PhD position focus on assessment, prediction and reduction of radiotherapy induced lymphopenia. Lymphopenia - the reduced level of circulating lymphocytes - is one adverse effect of radiotherapy. Multiple longitudinal studies have demonstrated that lymphopenia is associated with decreased overall survival in cancer patients. Currently, there are no established methods that enable the modification of radiotherapy protocols to prevent lymphopenia without compromising the therapeutic efficacy of radiation.
This doctoral project aims to develop and validate predictive models for estimating the radiation dose delivered to circulating blood. These models can subsequently be integrated into treatment planning to mitigate the risk of lymphopenia. The implementation of such models has the potential to minimize radiation-induced lymphopenia and thereby improve post-treatment survival outcomes in cancer patients. Moreover, this work holds significant relevance for the broader field of radiation protection. By enabling more precise estimations of dose to sensitive cells responsible for the immune response, the project contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of individual radiation exposure. This facilitates biologically informed dose.
Ref. No. SU FV-2753-26
Closing date: 28 September 2026
Last updated: 2026-09-04
Source: Department of Physics