Twelve UPLIFT Doctoral Candidates recently gathered for a three-day Quality Assurance (QA) Theme Workshop, hosted by the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering at Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague and Thomayer University Hospital, with a final day at OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology in Dresden, Germany.
The workshop provided an opportunity to explore quality assurance in radiotherapy through expert presentations, practical demonstrations and hands-on sessions.
The programme covered a range of topics, from practical measurements and 3D printing in radiotherapy to the demonstration of TAM-ARa, a dynamic anthropomorphic phantom. The final day at OncoRay focused on proton therapy quality assurance, online adaptation and in-vivo range verification, alongside a tour of the facility and experimental demonstrations.
Beyond the technical programme, the workshop also offered valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration. A social dinner in Prague and a group excursion to the beautiful Czech-Saxon Switzerland region allowed participants to reconnect and exchange ideas in a more informal setting.
The workshop highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and collaboration across UPLIFT partner institutions in advancing quality assurance methods for upright radiotherapy.
UPLIFT extends its sincere thanks to Wolfgang Lechner and Tereza Hanusova for organising the Prague programme, Armin Runz for sharing his expertise in phantom development, and Felix Horst, Christian Richter, Lena Nenoff, Jörg Pawelke, Daniela Kunath, Sergej Schneider and Krishna Godino Padre for hosting the group at OncoRay.
By combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience and collaboration, the workshop contributed to preparing the next generation of researchers to address the challenges and opportunities of upright radiotherapy.