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Overview of research

Physics and especially nuclear physics has always played a direct and indirect role in medicine as very early on scientists realized the potential of radiation in medicine. My research focuses on two main areas where radiation is implemented:

Proton Therapy dosimetry

TRIUMF operated Canada's only Proton Therapy centre from 1995 until 2019 and is actively persuing Proton Therapy research. Cancer treatment with protons takes full advantage of their superior dose deposition versus the traditional treatment with high energy photons. This allows the healthy tissue around the tumor to be spared from excessive harm while destroying the cancer cells, resulting in a very successful cancer treatment. I am investigating ways to improve Proton Therapy even further by investigating novel detectors for dosimetry, treatment monitoring via novel ways of proton range verification, and the use of proton FLASH.

Novel isotopes for nuclear medicine

Nuclear imaging and Targeted Radioisotope Therapy (TRT) uses radioactive isotopes to diagnose and treat diseases like cancer. We are researching and developing methods to produce existing and novel medical radioisotopes. This work concentrates on the targets used at medical cyclotrons and spans the fields of engineering, physics and chemistry.

Graduate Students

Clayton Lindsay (PhD)

Selected publications

• A. Robertson, P. Kunz, C. Hoehr, P. Schaffer, Cross sections from 438 MeV proton irradiation of thorium with a comparison to the FLUKA and GEANT4 codes, Physical Review C, 102 044613 (2020)
• M. Bakaic M. Hanna, C. Hnatovsky, D. Grobnic, S. Mihailov, S. Zeisler, C. Hoehr, Fiber-optic Bragg gratings for temperature and pressure measurements in isotope production targets for nuclear medicine, Applied Science, 10 4610 (2020)
• C. Hoehr, M. Hannah, S. Zeisler, C. Penner, M. Stokely, M. Dehnel, Ce- and B-doped silica fibers for monitoring low-energy proton beams on a medical cyclotron, Applied Science, 10 4488 (2020)
• C. Burbadge, E. Kasanda*, V. Bildstein, G. Dublin, B. Olaizola, C. Hoehr, D. Muecher
  Range Verification in Proton Therapy using Delayed Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy of a Mo-92Tumour Marker, Physics in Medicine and Biology, in print (2020)
• V. Radchenko, C. Hoehr, Modern Alchemy to fight Cancer, Nuclear Physics News, 30 28 (2020)
• N. A. Zacchia, D. M. Martinez, S. Zeisler, C. Hoehr, Radiolysis reduction in liquid target for the production of Zr-89, Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 155 108791 (2020)
• D. M. Martinez, M. Rahmani, C. Burbadge, C. Hoehr, A practical solution of the Bethe equation in the energy range applicable to radiotherapy and radionuclide production, Nature: Scientific Reports, 9 17599 (2019)
• C. Hoehr, A. Morana, O. Duhamel, B. Capoen, M. Trinczek, P. Paillet, C. Duzenli, M.
  Bouazaoui, G. Bouwmans, A. Cassez, Y. Ouerdane, A. Boukenter, H. El Hamzaoui, S. Girard, Novel Gd3+-doped silica-based optical fiber material for proton therapy dosimetry, Nature: Scientific Reports, 9 16376 (2019)
• C. Hoehr, C. Penner, C. Lindsay, V. Strgar, R Lee, C. Duzenli, Characterization of the Exradin W1 scintillator for 74 MeV proton therapy for ocular
  applications, Physics in Medicine and Biology, 63 095016 (2018)
• C. Lindsay, J. Kumlin, D.M. Martinez, A. Jirasek, C. Hoehr, Design and Application of 3D-printed Stepless Beam Modulators in Proton Therapy, Physics in Medicine and Biology 61 N276 (2016)

Funding

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC)
• Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
• Tri-Agency (NFRF-E)