Radiation physics at LNL accelerators: applications for particle therapy and beyond

by Dr Anna Selva (INFN - LNL)

Tuesday 21 Oct 2025, 10:00 → 12:00 Europe/Rome

C. Villi meeting room

Radiation damage to biological matter is critically determined by the spatial and temporal structure of radiation interactions at cellular and subcellular scales. Critical targets of radiation interactions (most notably, the DNA content of the cell nucleus) are of physical micrometric to nanometric size. The experimental and theoretical study of the physical origin of biological damage must therefore be carried out at these spatial scales: this is the field of micro- and nanodosimetry, which define measurable physical quantities to quantify radiation action and its correlation with biological effects.

LNL accelerators offer valuable opportunities for this purpose. In this seminar, I will present my contributions to the main ongoing research activities in radiation physics at LNL, focusing in particular on applications in radiation therapy with charged particles. I will describe fundamental studies of particle track structure carried out at the Tandem-ALPI accelerator complex with the Startrack Counter, and their use for validation of track-structure Monte Carlo codes. I will also discuss the testing of innovative detectors for radiation quality monitoring at the AN2000 and CN accelerators, and my experience with the development and characterization of accelerator-based neutron sources, especially within the ANTHEM PNRR project.

In this respect, my role as Scientific Coordinator of the AN2000 and CN accelerators has provided both space for direct application of previous experience and valuable input for further research.