Collaboration in research and application of particle therapy – THM and GSI/FAIR sign agreement
26.03.2026 |
The Technical University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM) and GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt intend to collaborate more closely in the field of particle therapy. A corresponding collaboration agreement was recently signed by both partners. The goal is to improve particle therapy both for the Marburg Ion Beam Therapy Center (MIT) and centers worldwide, as well as to support translational and basic research like it is conducted at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facilities.
One focus of the joint research efforts is on so-called FLASH irradiation, where very high radiation doses are applied in an extremely short time. The researchers aim to develop new techniques for the fast beam delivery and investigate the underlying radiochemical processes to bring this promising method into clinical application.
Novel methods are intended to enable the necessary high dose rates for FLASH irradiation. These include, among other developments, novel three-dimensional range modulators, which additionally allow the reduction of motion artifacts and improve patient comfort during treatment.
The development of new research topics is also encouraged and possible within the collaboration. The research will be conducted as part of master’s, bachelor’s, and doctoral theses, which will be jointly supervised by THM and GSI/FAIR.
The cooperation between THM and GSI/FAIR is coordinated by Professor Ulrich Weber (GSI/FAIR/THM) and Professor Kilian Baumann (THM/Uniklinikum Marburg). Both were recently appointed to a professorship for Medical Physics in the department Life Science Engineering (LSE) at THM.
Researchers at GSI developed the technology for tumor therapy using scanned ion beams (particle therapy), which was implemented in a clinically successful pilot project from 1997 to 2008. During this period, 440 patients, mainly with brain tumours, were treated using the new technology. As a direct result, clinical particle therapy facilities were established in Germany at the university hospitals in Heidelberg (HIT) and Marburg (MIT).
GSI/FAIR and THM have been long-standing cooperation partners. The research center and the university have a strong interest in broad participation by a wide variety of disciplines, institutes, and research groups in the realization of FAIR and other joint projects. (CP)
