Speaker
Description
Heavy-ion therapy is one of the most successful applications of nuclear and particle physics, translating decades of research in heavy-ion accelerators, beam physics, and ion–matter interactions into clinical practice.
Pioneering work at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, where the first patients in Europe were treated with carbon ions, laid the foundations for the establishment of the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center. Contributions from CERN to accelerator technologies also supported the creation of the National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy in Pavia (CNAO). Carbon-ion therapy exploits the unique physical and radiobiological properties of heavy ions to treat challenging cancers with exceptional precision.
Building on these achievements, this contribution will present the SEEIIST initiative (South East European International Institute for Sustainable Technologies), a next-generation carbon-ion therapy and biomedical research facility based on a novel medical accelerator. Particular attention will be given to recent advances in accelerator science, including superconducting magnet technologies, and emerging approaches to particle therapy, such as ultra-high dose-rate (FLASH) irradiation.
Beyond its scientific and medical objectives, SEEIIST aims to establish a shared research infrastructure for South-East Europe, combining advanced cancer treatment and biomedical research with technological innovation, regional capacity building and international scientific cooperation.