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Physics in Medical Research: From Humans to Cells
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:06:57
Abstract
The aim of this lecture series is to introduce the role of physics in state-of-the-art medical research and clinical practice. Topics to be covered range from applications of physics in medical implant technology and tissue engineering, through imaging technology, to its role in interventional and non-interventional therapies.
Objective
The lecture series is focused on the application of physics in diagnosis, planning, and therapy close to clinical practice and fundamental medical research. Beside a general overview the lectures give a deep insight into selected techniques, which will help the students to apply the knowledge to related techniques. In particular, the lectures should give the physics behind the imaging techniques currently used in clinical environment, i.e. ultrasound, magnet resonance imaging, computed tomography. Micro computed tomography (µCT) is selected to elaborate the scientific basics, namely the detailed interactions of X-rays with condensed matter, the data acquisition, the reconstruction algorithms, the quantitative data evaluation, the segmentation of the features, the visualization of the structures, staining and labeling etc. The potential of the imaging is uncovered exemplary extracting the temperature from MRI-measurements. For the therapy, several techniques are known, which are non- or minimally invasive. In order to deliberately destroy cancerous tissue, heat can be supplied or extracted in different manner: cryotherapy (heat conductivity in anisotropic, viscoelastic environment), radiofrequency treatment (single and multi-probe), laser application, and proton therapy. Using proton therapy, the lectures give the fundamental interactions of protons with human tissue, which can be simulated to realize effective planning procedures. The technique is compared with similar therapeutic approaches such as photon therapy. Medical implants play a more and more important role to take over well-defined tasks within the human body. Although biocompatibility is here of crucial importance, the term is insufficiently understood. The aim of the lectures is the understanding of biocompatibility performing well-defined experiments in vitro and in vivo. Dealing with different classes of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers) the influence of surface modifications (morphology and surface coatings) are key issues for implant developments. In the case of degradable implants, the degradation kinetics is of prime importance. The impact of the degradation products on the surrounding tissue will be comparatively analyzed. Mechanical stimuli can drastically influence soft and hard tissue behavior. The students should realize that a physiological window exists, where a positive tissue responds is expected and how the related parameter including strain, frequency, and resting periods can be selected and optimized for selected tissue such as bone. The muscles, responsible for several tasks within the human body, can be damaged. A typical example is the urinary sphincter after radical prostatectomy. The available implants, however, do not satisfactory work. Therefore, new active or “intelligent” implants have to be developed. The students should have a critical look at promising alternatives and learn to select potential solutions such as electrically activated polymer structures and to realize the time-consuming and complex way to clinical practice. Although the surgical instruments have significantly changed during the last century, mechanically driven instruments dominates surgical interventions. More sophisticated techniques, which are based on laser systems, does not yet play any role in the clinical practice although the advantages are rather obvious. The lecture should summarize, on the one hand, the advantages of the laser application and on the other side the problems to be solved. Many physicists in different medical fields are working on modeling and simulation. Based on examples, including the vascularization and tissue growth, the typical approaches in computational physics are presented to demonstrate the possible conclusions.
Content
This lecture series will cover the following topics: 1. Introduction to physics in medical research (1 lecture) 2. Proton therapy – Rationale, proton interactions with tissues, production and delivery, dosimetry, and clinical applications and challenges (2 lectures) 3. Microtomography – Interactions of x-rays with matter, reconstruction algorithms, data evaluation, structure visualization, applications of Microtomography (2 lectures) 4. Biocompatibility research – Metallic and ceramic implants for bones, surface morphology and coatings, degradation kinetics (2 lectures) 5. Artificial tissue design – Developments of artificial muscles, modeling vascularization and tissue growth (2 lectures) 6. Smart instruments – laser based surgical procedures and methods (1 lecture) 7. Image guided and minimally invasive interventions – Image guided surgery, virtual surgery simulations, endoscopy based treatments (2 lectures) 8. Alternative cancer treatments – Hyperthermia, RF methods, laser ablations (1 lecture) 9. Visit to PSI – Proton therapy facility, Synchrotron light source (1 lecture)
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , DS , NDS , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- oral 30 minutes
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Physics in Medical Research: From Humans to Cells |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise | Physics in Medical Research: From Humans to Cells |
|
1 h weekly |