Fibre optic proton beam dosimetry system

About this project

Revolutionise proton therapies

If you are interested in accelerating your career in radiology and keen to improve the effectiveness of important proton therapies, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD with vital community impact within UniSA STEM, in partnership with Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (ABCPT).

Proton beam therapy is an advanced form of external beam radiation therapy for cancer treatment that reduces radiation exposure to healthy tissues compared to conventional X-ray therapy.

One of the main challenges in proton beam therapy is the lack of real-time, in-tissue proton dose measurement (the amount of radiation absorbed by the tissue). Current methods rely on predictive models to estimate how the proton beam behaves inside the tissue based on initial parameters. 

However, there is no direct method for measuring proton dose inside the tissue in real-time. Our project aims to develop a fibre-based proton beam dosimeter system capable of real-time, in-tissue dose measurement.

Our project is a collaboration with the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (ABCPTR), which will house Australia’s first proton therapy centre in South Australia. The dosimeter developed through this project is expected to play a critical role in advancing proton therapy, significantly improving health outcomes for cancer patients.

You will be based in UniSA STEM but this project involves close collaboration with UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance (AHHP), and the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (ABCPTR). 

Through the ABCPTR, you will benefit from access to proton facilities at both that Centre and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), where the fibre-optic dosimetry system will be tested and optimised in an end-user environment.

Our project is one of the industry-based initiatives within the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Radiation Innovation (RadInnovate), driven by ABCPTR. Our involvement in RadInnovate fosters a dynamic research environment, providing you with opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration, industry partnerships, and access to cutting-edge facilities.

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will help develop a fibre optic dosimetry system. To do this, you will learn about light propagation, optical fibres, optical detection systems, and ionising radiation. 

You will work with optical fibres, optical detectors, optoelectronic devices, and photomultiplier tubes, as well as interfaced measuring devices. The project also requires you to study and model proton beam interaction with biological tissues. 

You will conduct experiments at ABCPT or the SAHMRI, using the developed fibre optic dosimetry system.

There is an opportunity for you to travel to Canberra as part of the RadInnovate Centre to present and report on the project’s progress.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based in UniSA STEM. We link engineering, mathematics, science, defence, cybersecurity, construction management, environmental science, aviation, information management, information technology, and project management, harnessing the connections across disciplines to bring big ideas to fruition. 

Our researchers deliver technical expertise and advice to industry, government and community groups to make commercially viable and sustainable impacts. The Future Industries Institute, Innovation and Collaboration Centre and Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments all provide consultancy and access to advanced technology. 

We integrate research into our teaching, with students working alongside researchers in first-class facilities. What’s discovered one day is taught the next.  

In an information-rich world, our people think big, combatting problems, testing solutions and making data-driven decisions. Our graduates are entrepreneurs and trailblazers, who design and build the world they want to live in. Financial Support

This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $35,200 per annum (2025 rate) is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants will be eligible to receive an increased stipend rate of $52,352 per annum (2025 rate). A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information. International applicants are not eligible for the scholarship.
 
Eligibility and Selection

This project is open to application from both Domestic and International applicants. International applicants are not eligible for the scholarship.

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. 

The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide.

Essential Dates

Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close on Sunday 1 December 2024.