The DRESDEN PLATFORM is a research hub for ultra-high dose rate radiobiology

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Abstract

The recently observed FLASH effect describes the observation of normal tissue protection by ultra-high dose rates (UHDR), or dose delivery in a fraction of a second, at similar tumor-killing efficacy of conventional dose delivery and promises great benefits for radiotherapy patients. Dedicated studies are now necessary to define a robust set of dose application parameters for FLASH radiotherapy and to identify underlying mechanisms. These studies require particle accelerators with variable temporal dose application characteristics for numerous radiation qualities, equipped for preclinical radiobiological research. Here we present the DRESDEN PLATFORM, a research hub for ultra-high dose rate radiobiology. By uniting clinical and research accelerators with radiobiology infrastructure and know-how, the DRESDEN PLATFORM offers a unique environment for studying the FLASH effect. We introduce its experimental capabilities and demonstrate the platform's suitability for systematic investigation of FLASH by presenting results from a concerted in vivo radiobiology study with zebrafish embryos. The comparative pre-clinical study was conducted across one electron and two proton accelerator facilities, including an advanced laser-driven proton source applied for FLASH-relevant in vivo irradiations for the first time. The data show a protective effect of UHDR irradiation up to [Formula: see text] and suggests consistency of the protective effect even at escalated dose rates of [Formula: see text]. With the first clinical FLASH studies underway, research facilities like the DRESDEN PLATFORM, addressing the open questions surrounding FLASH, are essential to accelerate FLASH's translation into clinical practice.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number20611
JournalScientific reports
Volume13
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 23 Nov 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0003-4261-4214/work/147674696
ORCID /0000-0002-7017-3738/work/147674856
ORCID /0000-0003-0283-0211/work/147674949
ORCID /0000-0003-1899-603X/work/147673908
Scopus 85177579090

Keywords

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Animals, Humans, Neoplasms/radiotherapy, Protons, Radiobiology, Radiotherapy Dosage, Zebrafish