Image-guided radiotherapy (IgRT) is a well-established procedure, however, adapting dose delivery to anatomical changes between or within treatment fractions is still not yet established in clinical routine. Our developments focus on magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy with photons (MRgRT) and ions (MRgPT). Further techniques include x-ray as well as surface- (SgRT) and ultrasound (USgRT) guidance. Dosimetric research includes the improvements of dosimetry protocols, e.g. for dose measurements in magnetic fields, and the development and application of 3D gel dosimetry for photons and ion beams. In the field of radiobiology, we investigate the effectiveness of different ion beams (proton, helium, carbon and oxygen) in tumors and normal tissues in dependence of treatment parameters to improve empirical and model-based predictions of the effectiveness of ion beams relative to x-rays. These studies are extended by imaging, histological and molecular studies. The impact of tumor hypoxia on radiation response is studied experimentally as well as by the development of computational response models.The projects of our group are closely related to clinical application and to the investigation of physical and biological parameters that determine the radiation response in normal tissues and tumors. We closely cooperate with the Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiotherapy of the University Hospital Heidelberg and our research group is part of the Clinical Research Cooperation Medical Physics.
