Date: Friday 9th January 2026 at 11:00 GMT (UK time)
Speaker: Dr Luca Labate, Researcher at CNR-INO
Watch the interview with Dr Luca Labate here https://youtu.be/IP61iFfZfXI
Abstract
Electron accelerators based on the Laser WakeField Acceleration process in a plasma are now at a sufficient mature technology stage to be considered for a wealth of applications in diverse fields. Among these, the possibility of employing compact laser-driven accelerators (LDAs) of electrons in the so-called Very High Energy Electron (VHEE) energy range to drive novel concept radiotherapy devices is sparking a lot of attention, as it offers the route to advanced and more effective radiotherapy modalities than those employed nowadays.
Here, we provide an overview of recent experiments in laser-driven electron acceleration specifically focused to VHEE applications in medicine, highlighting what makes LDAs different from other accelerators used in radiotherapy, as well as the perspectives for a translation to the clinical practice over the medium term. The potential for novel approaches to radiotherapy based on the specificity of laser-driven VHEE beams will be touched upon briefly.
The seminar can now also be found on YouTube https://youtu.be/nRaLiPowzdw
Biography
Dr Luca Labate is a senior staff scientist at the National Institute of Optics of the italian National Research Council (CNR), working in the Intense Laser Irradiation Laboratory (ILIL) group. Since his PhD studies, he has worked in the field of laser-plasma interaction. His research interests include ultrashort laser physics, laser-driven particle acceleration and secondary X/gamma-ray sources, and medical applications of laser-driven particle and photon beams.