UPLIFT kickoff meeting at GSI
On November 14, the UPLIFT consortium came together at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany, for the official kickoff meeting of the project. Representatives of every supervising institution discussed the management of the UPLIFT action and presented their plans for their individual project. The consortium discussed not only project objectives, timelines, responsibilities, and roles of each UPLIFT partner, shaping up an outstanting lineup of projects for the doctoral candidates, but also the networkwide training events, and common responsibilities.
UPLIFT’s main goal is to train a new generation of experts who will lead the upright radiotherapy paradigm shift. Within UPLIFT three training schools on “Advanced Radiotherapy”, “Artificial Intelligence”, and “Equipment design for radiotherapy” set up a world-class training programme for our doctoral candidates, propelling them at the forefront of research, industry, and clinics in upright radiotherapy! In addition, three topical workshops on “Treatment planning”, “Quality Assurance”, and “Human factors and ergonomics”, as well as an MRI academy offer additional learning opportunities. This exciting training programme is a unique opportunity to become a leader in the field.
Aside from the engaging project discussions, the consortium members enjoyed a guided tour through the GSI accelerator complex. GSI operates a unique accelerator for heavy ions, supplying various experiments from accelerator, particle and atomic physic, over plasma physics and material science, to biomedical and space radiation research with energetic ion beams from protons to uranium. Researchers from around the world use this facility for experiments that help them make fascinating discoveries in basic research. The consortium members followed the ion beam from the ion sources through the UNILAC, the GSI’s massive linear accelerator, to the ESR (experimental storage ring), to the former therapy room, Cave M, where 440 cancer patients were treated between 1997 and 2008 with carbon ions – the pioneering project for carbon ion therapy in Europe. The meeting ended with a visit to the FAIR construction site, where the new SIS100 synchrotron is currently being set up.
The kickoff meeting was rounded off with a presentation by Cosimo Galeone, doctoral candidate within the RAPTOR consortium, who shared invaluable insights on doctoral networks from a PhD student perspective. A networking event at the Ratskeller restaurant in the beautiful Darmstadt city center invited to network and exchange ideas.
The UPLIFT kickoff meeting at GSI was an auspicious start to the EU paradigm-shifting project for advancing and integrating upright radiation therapy into the radiation treatment world, making radiation therapy more accessible, sustainable, and patient-focused.
