Anatomical changes and motion-induced uncertainties may compromise the accuracy of radiotherapy treatments. These uncertainties pose a significant risk in the context of hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatment regimes. In order to reduce these uncertanties, the UMCG aims to further develop and expand its fraction-wise retrospective four-dimensional proton dose reconstruction methodology to photon dose reconstruction and accumulation for treatment quality evaluation during and after treatment, to enable adaptive radiation therapy.
The post-doctoral fellow will work on developing and extending a treatment adaptation and verification platform from the proton to the photon clinic in order to achieve full integration of clinical processes at the UMCG. Daily treatment delivery reconstruction will be explored via the use high frequency delivery log files. Then, different methods for optimizing the 4D dose reconstruction can be assessed, such as daily specific patient anatomy from 4DCBCTs, synthetic imaging and breathing pattern records (from an ANZAI belt system or obtained via VisionRT).
Applying the methodology for a representative cohort of thoracic tumor patients will be the topic of a subsequent phase of the project. The evaluation will assist on exploring whether changes in the breathing pattern could be predicted by anatomical changes, allowing to trigger 4D dose reconstruction only at specific days, and comparing the actually 4D delivered reconstructed and accumulated doses with the planned doses to analyze dose differences at tumor level and in terms of NTCP differences at organs at risk level.

- A PhD degree on a topic related to radiotherapy or a related field.
- MATLAB programming/data analysis.
- NodeJS/Javascript programming experience.
- Experience with Deformable Image Registration (DIR) methods.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent spoken and written English language skills.
- Motivation and ambition.

The applicants have to be able and willing to work in a radiation environment and should have or will need to quickly obtain the qualification that is required for this.
Part of the work may have to be done outside the normal working hours.

The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. The UMCG can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position.
In case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.

A stimulating and creative learning environment.
A temporary full-time (1.0 fte) post-doctoral fellow position for a period of up to three years. The successful candidate will initially be offered a position for one year, with another two years extension conditional on a positive evaluation.

Your salary will be a maximum of € 4.707,- gross per month (scale 10), depending on your qualifications and relevant experience, based on a full-time appointment.
In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC).

Radiotherapie

Within the Department of Radiation Oncology of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, the Netherlands, we are looking for a motivated and ambitious PhD graduate to join our research on fraction-wise 4D dose reconstruction and accumulation. The successful candidate will contribute to the expansion of our research and clinical infrastructure from proton to photon therapy, in line with the development of our SMART clinic initiative. (S)he will be part of the Medical Physics group, which consists of over 20 physicists, several PhD-students, post-docs, physics assistants, engineers and programmers, within the Medical Physics and Instrumentation Division of the Department of Radiation Oncology.
The Department of Radiation Oncology in the UMCG is the first academic department in the Netherlands with an integrated state of the art photon-proton clinic. Currently, radiotherapy treatments are provided for over 4,500 patients annually.
The UMCG Department of Radiation Oncology has strong national and international track records in innovation; academic and industry grant funded research. It is a world leader pioneering and leading the development of the model-based clinic to predict cancer treatment outcomes, facilitate biological guided treatment and automated patient treatment dose reconstruction in proton therapy based on patient data, including imaging at the Groningen Proton Therapy Center (GPTC). Basic physics and biology research takes place at the Particle Therapy Research Center (PARTREC) in the area of PET imaging for in vivo range verification using short lived isotopes and biology of radiation induced damaged in normal tissues and tumors. PARTREC and GPTC are uniquely integrated in the UMCG Department of Radiation Oncology to facilitate all aspects of research, from bench to bed and back, allowing for rapid development and clinical integration of new technologies.

The department is part of the UMC Groningen Comprehensive Cancer Center, with 21 multidisciplinary tumor boards and provides the highest level of oncologic services, being actively involved in patient care, research, education, and training.
The University Medical Centre Groningen, located in the center of Groningen, is one of the Netherlands’ eight university medical centers and the largest employer in the Northern Netherlands. It has an ambitious, dynamic, international environment with state-of-the-art facilities. More than 13.000 employees provide patient care, are involved in medical education, and perform cutting-edge scientific research, focused on healthy ageing. Data science and large-scale studies are important focal points in Groningen. This project is performed in partnership with Elekta (UK).