2 PhD positions available in Heidelberg,Germany

2 PhD positions available
(Duration 36 months)

“A novel imaging technique for ion beam therapy: Ion Computed Tomography”
is a joint project between the Heidelberg University Hospital/Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (Prof. Dr. Oliver Jäkel), the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (Prof. Dr. Katia Parodi), and the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt (Dr. Bernd Voss) granted by the German Research Foundation (DFG) starting on November the 1st, 2012.

Project and position descriptions
The goal of the project is to develop a method for time-resolved imaging of transmitted energetic ion beams in view of several possible future clinical applications at the Heidelberg Ion beam Therapy center (HIT). These include pre-treatment verification of residual ion beam range for tumors in stationary and moving anatomical locations. In the latter case, additional intra-treatment operation is envisioned to provide valuable information on the magnitude of range uncertainties in the motion cycle close in time to the therapeutic irradiation. Finally, pre-treatment tomographic recovery of the stopping power maps of the traversed tissue will be pursued as a means to evaluate range uncertainties in conventional treatment planning based on X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging. The possibility to replace the X-ray CT patient model and thus to eliminate the current major source of range uncertainty in ion beam treatment planning will also be investigated.
This work will realize and experimentally validate a new generation, compact and fully integrated range telescope system based on a stack of ionization chambers (IC) for pencil-beam range probing (1D) as well as planar (2D) and volumetric (3D) imaging. It will include time-resolved (4D) operation for synchronization not only with the dynamic beam delivery but also with the movement of the target itself as monitored by external motion sensors.
The planned experimental investigations will enable evaluation of the clinical potential of the method in comparison to the nowadays used imaging techniques such as post-radiation PET (Positron Emission Tomography) /CT imaging with respect to the ultimate goal of promoting high precision ion beam therapy.

The project will be carried out by a post doc and two PhD students. The first PhD student together with the post doc will be located at HIT/LMU (Ludwig Maximilians University Munich) and will mainly work on integration of the hardware being developed at GSI into the HIT environment, on the performance and interpretation of the experimental investigations with feedback to the hardware development at GSI, and on the image reconstruction part. A PhD at the faculty for physics in Heidelberg or Munich is aimed for. The second PhD student will be located at GSI and will mainly work on the development and fine tuning of the whole detector system, but will also frequently be at HIT to support the integration of the system and the experimental investigations. A PhD at the faculty for physics in Darmstadt is aimed for. The post doc will supervise both thesis and coordinate the project.

PhD profiles and requirements:

General requirements:
•       good understanding of electromagnetic and nuclear physical processes which are relevant to ion transport and interaction in matter
•       prior experience in ion beam therapy and imaging techniques is favourable
•       experience in software programming, preferably C/C++, C sharp, Java, and Python, and Linux and Windows operating system
•       additional experience in experimental activities and data analysis is favourable
•       technical proficiency, scientific creativity, fast adaptation to new problems and fruitful collaboration with international and multidisciplinary working team
•       fluent in English (spoken and written)

Specific requirements:

1st PhD Position:
-graduated physicist, a graduated engineer may also qualify, depending on the specialization and experience
- good knowledge and experience in electronics and signal processing
- good knowledge and experience in building software interfaces

2nd PhD Position:
- graduated physicist, a graduated engineer may also qualify, depending on the specialization and experience
- good knowledge and experience in the development of detector-hardware
- good knowledge and experience on electronics and signal processing
- good knowledge and experience in building software interfaces

How to apply:
Please send your application including a letter of motivation, certificates and a CV until September the 30th, 2012 to (electronic applications in pdf-format preferred):

1st PhD Position
Prof. Dr. Oliver Jaekel, oliver.jaekel@med.uni-heidelberg.de
and
Prof. Dr. Katia Parodi, katia.parodi@physik.uni-muenchen.de

A printed application should also be sent to:
Project Application DFG z.Hd. Roswitha Vay-Meyer
Heidelberger Ionenstrahl-Therapie Centrum HIT Betriebs-GmbH am Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 450
69120 Heidelberg
Deutschland

2nd PhD Position
Dr. Bernd Voss, b.voss@gsi.de

A printed application should also be sent to:
Project Application DFG z.Hd. Roswitha Vay-Meyer
Heidelberger Ionenstrahl-Therapie Centrum HIT Betriebs-GmbH am Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, 69120 Heidelberg, Deutschland
and
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
Abteilung Personal- und Sozialwesen
Planckstrasse , 64291 Darmstadt, Deutschland

For further information please contact:
Dr. Ilaria Rinaldi, Tel: +49 (0)6221 56 38132, Email: ilaria.rinaldi@med.uni-heidelberg.de