Radiology
Research

Adaptive Radiotherapy

Focussing on radiotherapy research training and capacity building at the University of Hull and in the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

The Challenge

Radiotherapy is a key cancer treatment strategy, but remains an underrepresented area of research focus in the UK and worldwide. The Adaptive Radiotherapy cluster is focused on radiotherapy research training and capacity building at the University of Hull and in the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The main aim of this cluster is to take a multidisciplinary strategy, which includes Cancer Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Medical Physics, Imaging, and Experimental Models (biological and computational) to answer the question: can we ‘engineer‘ the radiobiological tumour response to improve therapy success and patient benefit within the context of individualisation (adaptive) strategies?

The Approach

The Adaptive Radiotherapy cluster is addressing this challenge through a multidisciplinary approach focusing on the following areas:

  • Therapeutic exploration of the radiobiological tumour and novel radiation sensitising anti-cancer agents and strategies
  • Development of novel models for radiotherapy delivery using machine learning
  • Exploration of novel strategies for molecular imaging of the radiobiological tumour
PET Research Centre

Aims

  • To use existing multidisciplinary expertise to investigate novel adaptive radiotherapy approaches in conjunction with contemporary strategies
  • To expand, train, and support a critical mass of early career researchers in cancer radiotherapy

The Impact

Radiotherapy remains one of the most effective treatments for solid tumours, including cancer types prevalent in our region, such as lung and oesophageal cancer. The response of tumour cells to the radiation remains a fundamental limitation to the success of radiotherapy. However, research into development of novel radiotherapy approaches and models remains an underrepresented research focus. The research developed by this cluster has the potential to impact on health and quality of life through delivering better outcomes to patients, as well as on the economy (cost-saving strategies and models) and public policy (adoption by NICE of developed and tested strategies).

Projects

microscopes in a lab

WSB-1 as a potential biomarker to DNA Damage Response to hypoxic breast cancer

Mesh network

AI and machine learning to improve models of radiotherapy delivery

Biomedical microfluidics

Novel targeted imaging strategies for imaging the hypoxic microenvironment and biological features altered in cancers

Jack Brignall PET-CT Centre with Chris Cawthorne

New strategies for improving radiotherapy response in bowel cancer

Biomedical sciences lab equipment

New technology to improve capability for clinical radiopharmaceutical production

ink-cloud

Inspired?

Accelerating a net zero future. Improving health outcomes. Promoting justice and fairness for all. Living with water. Enhancing heritage and creative industries.

Our research impacts the world.

And you can be part of it.

Join our vibrant research community and help find solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the world today.

Postgraduate research
Top