Background and Motivation:
The anatomical differences between upright and conventional supine or prone positioning in radiotherapy are significant, which presents new challenges in upright treatment planning. Comprehensively understanding anatomic differences and associated dosimetric impacts is essential to define clinical indication and treatment workflow for Upright RT.
Goal:
A comprehensive set of image datasets for the listed anatomical sites for upright treatment simulations encompassing both imaging and treatment planning and comparative upright vs. supine studies.
Tasks:
Project DC17, “Anatomical Differences Analysis,” is carried out by Daniel Richter at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland. He began his PhD in September 2025 under the supervision of Dr. Ye Zhang, a tenured scientist at the Centre for Proton Therapy (CPT) at PSI.
He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, focusing on fundamental and computational physics. He completed his master’s thesis at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), where he concentrated on optical imaging techniques in fluorescent cancer research. Inspired to transition from preclinical projects to impactful clinical medical research, he was drawn to the challenges and opportunities of advancing adaptive radio- and proton therapy through a combination of computational and experimental approaches.
His project investigates the significant anatomical changes that occur when a patient moves from a traditional supine (lying down) to an upright position. Understanding how gravity affects organ position and tissue shape is vital for ensuring that proton beams accurately target tumors while sparing healthy tissue. The project aims to develop and apply robust methods to quantify these anatomical differences and translate the findings into data-driven solutions for personalized radiotherapy. As part of this work, he leverages his background in fundamental physics and AI-driven medical imaging to tackle complex translational research problems with real-world clinical relevance.
Excited to join UPLIFT’s interdisciplinary environment, he aims to advance state-of-the-art research, develop his professional skills, and build a strong international network—key elements for addressing today’s complex research challenges. In his spare time, he enjoys rock climbing and skiing, activities that allow him to stay active and embrace new challenges.
Additional:
