Summer Series Lecture 1

Introduction to Radiation Therapy, with Professor Paul Keall

Despite the widespread use and applicability of RT (recommended for 50% of all cancers and 75% of lung cancers), much of how and why RT is used remains a mystery to the general public. This lecture will communicate the fundamentals of RT, how it fits into the broader picture of oncology and medicine, as well as how the ACRF Image X institute contributes to the field. 

Radiation therapy (RT) describes a medical treatment where ionizing radiation is used to kill or damage cells. The radiation used could be protons, photons or electrons, and the cells being killed are typically cancerous (radiation oncology) but novel applications are emerging e.g. altering the conductivity of heart tissue to control heart arrythmias.

The ACRF Image X Institute is opening its doors this summer to present the Summer Lecture Series. Each week, one of our star researchers will take the audience through a different element of radiation therapy, followed by a Q&A session and light refreshments. The Summer Lecture Series is suited to prospective PhD students, physicists, and anyone looking to learn more or have a refresher on the science behind the world’s most cost effective cancer treatment. Entry is free, you can register to attend one, a few, or all lectures.