FLASH-RT Physics-Biology consortium workshop

6 Jun 2023, 00:00 → 20 Jun 2023, 22:30 Europe/Zurich

Online (Zoom)

Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut), Dirk Verellen (University of Antwerpen), Pierre Montay-Gruel (University of Antwerpen), Frank Stephan (DESY), Rudi Labarbe (IBA), Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV), Martin Grossmann Handschin (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

Overview of the workshop (date, format) 

This workshop on building-up a FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT) consortium around data sharing and management will be held online over two afternoons: 
 

Day 1: June 6^th 2023 1:00pm – 4:30pm (CEST) 

Day 2: June 20^th 2023 1:00pm – 4:30pm (CEST) 

 

Background 

FLASH radiotherapy has become one of the hot topics in the radiation oncology field. While more and more data is accumulated, the complexity of this research field makes it sometimes challenging to keep oneself updated with the most recent and important results. Moreover, the difficulty to publish and share negative data might impact research effectiveness and increase experimental bias. These issues were raised by multiple researchers in the field during past workshops and ongoing collaborative networks, including the very successful ESTRO Physics Workshop on FLASH-RT. Building-up a consortium around data sharing, management and storage is a way to face these challenges.  

 

Goals of the workshop 

The goal of the workshop is to set the ground for a future FLASH-RT research consortium around data sharing, management, and storage.  

 

Different topics will be developed in the form of break-out rooms: 

• Database structure: Literature review, biology practice, definition of the variables to be put in the database, data availability, their eventual dependencies…
• Consortium organization: What are the possibilities for a multi-institutional consortium with possible industry cooperation/involvement? Possibility for funding and sustainability of the consortium (5(-10?) year timescale). 
• Quality control: What QA strategies could we put in place to ensure data quality (including non-published data)? Small internal audit, or peer-review mechanism? How to audit biological models? 
• Data sharing best practice, open access, and industry utilization: How to ensure a good data sharing practice? What mechanisms are already used by other collaborations/consortiums, and what could be the pitfalls? 

 

Representatives of current existing consortia will also share their experience in creating and organizing such research networks, to help identify the challenges and caveats.   

 

Who should attend 

All research professionals involved in ultra-high dose rate fundamental, translational and clinical research, physicists, biologists, chemists, clinicians... 

Tuesday 6 June

1 Summary ESTRO physics workshop on FLASH-RT

Speakers: Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV), Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

2 Breakout session 1: Database structure

Speaker: Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

3 Breakout session 2: Consortium organization

Speakers: Dirk Verellen (University of Antwerpen), Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV)

4 Breakout session 3: Quality control

Speakers: Frank Stephan (DESY), Pierre Montay-Gruel (University of Antwerpen)

5 Breakout session 4: Data sharing best practices, open access and industry utilization

Speaker: Rudi Labarbe (IBA)

14:30 Break

6 Breakout session 1: Database structures

7 Breakout session 2: Consortium organization

8 Breakout session 3: Quality control

9 Breakout session 4: Data sharing best practices, open access and industry utilization

10 Summary from breakout rooms

11 Introduction to the next step and to Day 2

Speaker: Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

Tuesday 20 June

12 Introduction day 2

Speaker: Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

13 Wrap-up from Day 1

Speakers: Frank Stephan (DESY), Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV), Rudi Labarbe (IBA), Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

14 Breakout sessions

14:30 Break

15 Presentation from an existing consortium (INSPIRE) + Q&A

Speaker: Prof. Karen Kirkby (University of Manchester)

16 Summary from breakout rooms

Speakers: Frank Stephan (DESY), Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV), Rudi Labarbe (IBA), Serena Psoroulas (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

17 Closing remarks, perspectives and follow-up

Speaker: Raphael Moeckli (IRA CHUV)