Objective Proton therapy is rapidly being established in the EU as a promising external beam tumour therapy modality offering an increased tumour-dose conformity with better sparing of critical organs and healthy tissue compared to conventional photon therapy. However, full exploitation of its clinical potential is still hampered by non-negligible uncertainties during the treatment planning and delivery, posing the urgent demand of novel real-time techniques for in vivo verification of the proton beam range. To this aim, the objective of this project proposal HIPPOCRATE (Hybrid Imaging of PET and PrOmpt gamma for preCision RAnge- and biological- guidance in proton ThErapy) is to explore the optimal design and clinical potential of an innovative hybrid medical imaging approach that goes well beyond the state of the art, by combining real-time range verification from energetic prompt gammas with Positron-Emission-Tomography (PET) imaging of irradiation-induced or externally injected tracers, to promote biological- and dose- guidance for personalized, high-precision proton therapy. By improving the quality of the rapidly emerging proton therapy modality, this project will promote longer and healthier lives for cancer patients, with a high societal impact on the EU. Moreover, HIPPOCRATE can potentially go beyond the boundaries of medical imaging in proton therapy, by enabling high quality imaging of a whole new range of promising unconventional radionuclides for diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging, as well as opening the perspective of biological image guidance at the radiotherapy treatment site, independent of the primary radiation quality. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineradiologynuclear medicinemedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyengineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingnatural scienceschemical sciencesnuclear chemistryradiation chemistrynatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN Net EU contribution € 171 460,80 Address GESCHWISTER SCHOLL PLATZ 1 80539 Muenchen Germany See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 171 460,80