Mapping the Future of Particle Radiobiology in Europe: The INSPIRE Project

TL;DR

The INSPIRE project aims to unify and enhance European research infrastructure in particle radiobiology, facilitating experimental investigations into biological responses to proton and ion therapy, and guiding future investments.

Contribution

This work details the radiobiological capabilities of INSPIRE partners, providing essential information on physics, biology, and researcher access to support global research efforts.

Findings

Comprehensive overview of available particle types and energies.

Details on sample preparation and post-irradiation analysis methods.

Identification of redundancies and future investment areas.

Abstract

Particle therapy is a growing cancer treatment modality worldwide. However, there still remains a number of unanswered questions considering differences in the biological response between particles and photons. These questions, and probing of biological mechanisms in general, necessitate experimental investigation. The Infrastructure in Proton International Research (INSPIRE) project was created to provide an infrastructure for European research, unify research efforts on the topic of proton and ion therapy across Europe, and to facilitate the sharing of information and resources. This work highlights the radiobiological capabilities of the INSPIRE partners, providing details of physics (available particle types and energies), biology (sample preparation and post-irradiation analysis), and researcher access (the process of applying for beam time). The collection of information reported here is designed to provide researchers both in Europe and worldwide with the tools required to select the optimal center for their research needs. We also highlight areas of redundancy in capabilities and suggest areas for future investment.