1. RaySearch Laboratories (Sweden)
2. Centre de Lutte Contre Le Cancer Leon Berard (France)
3. Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
Typically, radiotherapy patients are positioned supine, with a gantry rotating around them to deliver treatment from various angles. However, the UPLIFT approach focuses on treating patients in an upright position (upRT), allowing them to rotate in front of a fixed beam. This technique may yield clinical benefits while optimizing space and reducing costs—both critical in expanding access to advanced treatments like particle therapy, which demands high operational costs and substantial equipment. Upright positioning could improve patient comfort and provide anatomical and physiological advantages, such as minimizing respiratory motion.
The primary goal is to develop an optimized clinical workflow for upright Proton Therapy using CNAO’s fixed beamline. This role involves exploring the integration of a new upright positioning system within the workflow at a carbon ion center also, with access to a new PT chair system set to be installed at CNAO in 2025. This setup provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into the commissioning steps for implementing such a system in Proton Therapy.
Tasks:
Please note that, the PhD degree for CNAO candidates is awarded by the University of Heidelberg (UHEI: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg). As part of the PhD program, candidates will also spend additional time at both the University and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg.
Hola! I’m María, and I was born in a town near Madrid, Spain. My background is in Physics, with a bachelor’s degree from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and a master’s degree from Universität Heidelberg. During my studies, I focused on particle, computational, and medical physics, doing research with the LHCb group, at DKFZ, and HIT. Now, I am based in Italy at CNAO, enrolled as a PhD student from the Università di Pavia, working under the supervision of Mario Ciocca and Ester Orlandi.
My role in the UPLIFT project is to define a clinical workflow for upright radiation therapy in a particle facility. Central to this project is the installation and commissioning of the Leo Cancer Care upright system, Marie, expected to take place in 2026. My duties range from treatment planning, to determine the most suitable clinical indications for particle therapy at CNAO, to studying range accuracy and immobilization techniques. Finally, I’ll be developing and validating an end-to-end workflow in collaboration with physicists, engineers, radiation oncologists, and patients. I hope my work supports the clinical integration of upright therapy and the broader adoption of compact facilities.
I chose this topic because I wanted to apply my physics knowledge in a real clinic. After spending time with simulations and work “behind the screen,” I find it rewarding to be in the hospital and see how science becomes something tangible that helps real people. It’s important to me that this technology doesn’t just stay in a lab. My goal is to help these tools become a standard part of care, and hopefully, to see them implemented in Spain one day so that patients there have access to the best treatment options.
Outside of work, I enjoy climbing, skiing, or surfing, and I’ve recently gotten my diving certificates too. I also try to catch up with my family and friends as often as I can, or work through a long travel bucket list whenever I get the chance.
