PhD Student in Dose Guided Radiation Therapy-Netherland
MAASTRO CLINIC is a radiotherapy treatment and research facility embedded within the GROW research institute of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University. Research carried out in the past has focused on molecular PET/CT imaging, computer aided theragnostics and dose guided radiotherapy (DGRT). In the latter we have developed techniques to determine the real dose delivered to the patient during radiotherapy, based on portal imaging and cone beam imaging technology. We have successfully introduced this methodology in the clinic. We are now expanding our DGRT research activities by using time-resolved 4D portal imaging.
MAASTRO, Maastricht Radiation Oncology, is a co-operation between MAASTRO CLINIC, the University of Maastricht (UM) and the University Hospital Maastricht (MUMC+) (see www.maastro.nl). MAASTRO consists of several divisions, including MAASTRO CLINIC, which offers state-of-the-art radiotherapy to more than 3500 cancer patients each year from the mid and South Limburg area in the Netherlands. In addition, research and training at MAASTRO is carried out in MAASTRO Physics, MAASTRO Trials, MAASTRO School, and MAASTRO Lab.
MAASTRO CLINIC has seven permanent physicists, several technicians, informaticians, and 13 PhD students/postdocs and is fully equipped with linear accelerators, verification imaging devices, a brachytherapy suite, a PET-CT scanner, a wide bore CT scanner, many treatment planning stations etc. Together with MAASTRO lab we installed a small animal irradiation/imaging facility. MAASTRO collaborates with TU/Eindhoven, University of Toronto, the McGill University of Montreal, the University of Leuven, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, and we host a large international in-silico trial on particle therapy.
MAASTRO CLINIC has a vacancy for a:
PhD student in Dose Guided Radiation Therapy with
time-resolved 4D portal imaging (M/F)
In this position you will carry out research in dose guided radiotherapy for various cancer sites, e.g. lung. You will develop a method for obtaining 4D (time-resolved) portal images of a patient during treatment, and use these images to quantify and comprehend changes in patient geometry compared to the planning CT, and other potential causes of divergence. You will also use these images to reconstruct the true received dose during daily treatment fractions and compare this dose to the planned dose. For this you will use the (4D) cone-beam CT images acquired during the treatment. You will help develop protocols for adaptive radiotherapy based on your findings.
We are looking for a candidate with a masters degree (or equivalent) in Physics or Engineering. We expect you to have a GPA of at least 3.5/4 for your Masters degree. Experience with image processing is highly valued, and experience with adaptive radiotherapy is a plus. Programming experience and enthusiasm for it is a must. The enthusiastic candidate that we are looking for must be fluent in English. You must provide two letters of reference.
Conditions of Employment and salary are based on the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Hospitals (CAO-Ziekenhuizen). You will receive a fulltime contract (36 hours/week) for an initial period of one year, with the intention for extension up to 4 years. Your salary will be according to the scale of scientific researcher 4 of MAASTRO CLINIC, and is depending on your relevant experience. Furthermore the Collective Labour Agreement offers an extended package of secondary conditions, among others an 8%-holiday bonus, a yearly bonus and excellent pension arrangements and health insurance arrangements.
Further information may be obtained from Frank Verhaegen, Head of Physics Research, by e-mail: frank.verhaegen@maastro.nl or by calling +31-(0)88-4455792. Please also visit www.maastro.nl and www.grow-um.nl
Your application letter, Curriculum Vitae, reference letters and listing of publications can be sent before the 1st of Sept 2010 to the attention of Ms. E. Dekkers, human resource officer, MAASTRO CLINIC, P.O. Box 3035, 6202 NA Maastricht, or by e-mail to: personeelszaken@maastro.nl