Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences

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The M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs in Radiation Sciences and the M.Sc. program in Health and Radiation Physics are administered by the Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences. Staff from several University departments and from health care institutions contribute to the programs.

Enquiries: 905 525-9140 Ext. 27650
Fax: 905 522-5982
E-mail: medphys@mcmaster.ca

Faculty / Fall 2013

Professors

Douglas R. Boreham, B.Sc. (Laurentian), Ph.D. (Ottawa)
David R. Chettle, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Birmingham)
Thomas J. Farrell, B.Sc., B.Ed. (Toronto), M.Sc. (Western), Ph.D. (McMaster) / Joint appointment with Radiology / Chair
Michael J. Farquharson, B.Sc. (Sussex), M.Sc. (Surrey), Ph.D.(University College London)
Fiona E. McNeill, B.Sc. (Edinburgh), Ph.D. (Birmingham)
Carmel E. Mothersill, B.Sc., Ph.D. (University College Dublin)
Michael S. Patterson, B.Sc. (Queen’s), Ph.D. (Toronto) / Joint appointment with Radiology
Colin B. Seymour, DCT(RT) (Guy’s Hospital), B.L. (King’s Inn),M.Sc., Ph.D. (Trinity College Dublin)/ Associate Chair (Graduate)

Associate Professors

Soo Hyun Byun, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Seoul National University)
Joseph E. Hayward, B.Eng., M.Eng., Ph.D. (McMaster) / Joint appointment with Radiology
Gianni Parise, B.Kin., M.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster) / Joint appointment with Kinesiology
Douglas R. Wyman, B.Sc. (Waterloo), Ph.D. (McMaster) / Joint appointment with Radiology

Assistant Professors

Nicholas A. Bock, B.Sc. (Western), Ph.D. (Toronto) / Associate Chair (Undergraduate)
Kevin Diamond, B.Sc. (Waterloo), Ph.D. (McMaster)
Orest Z. Ostapiak, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto)
Hao Peng, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Wuhan), Ph.D. (Western)
Marcin Wierzbicki, B.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Western)

Lecturer

David M. Tucker, B.Sc. (McMaster), C.H.P. (American Board of Health Physics)

Associate Members

Ian S. Dayes (Radiology)
Qiyin Fang (Engineering Physics)
Troy Farncombe (Radiology)
Christopher L. Gordon (Radiology)
Michael D. Noseworthy (Radiology)
Andrew J. Rainbow (Biology)
N. Renee (Crowther) Labiris (Radiology)
John F. Valliant (Chemistry)

Adjunct Members

Joanne M. O’Meara, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)
Ana Pejovic-Milic, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Belgrade), M.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)
Anthony J. Waker, B.Sc., Ph.D. [Poly S. Bank (CNAA), London,U.K.]

Professor Emeritus

William V. Prestwich, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)

Research in Medical and Health Physics

Research groups and research facilities exist in the Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, Hamilton Health Sciences, the Juravinski Cancer Centre, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and in different departments within the University. There are strong research links with the McMaster Institute of Applied Radiation Sciences (McIARS).

Current research activity includes dosimetry of diagnostic and brachytherapy radioisotopes, β interface dosimetry, imaging dose distributions (Prestwich), neutron micro-dosimetry (Byun), nuclear and atomic techniques used for analysis of both trace toxic elements and major components of human body composition (Chettle, McNeill, O’Meara, Pejovic-Milic, Bock), development of novel radiopharmaceuticals and medical use of radioisotopes in diagnosis and therapy (Valliant, Peng, Farncombe), novel methods of imaging bone architecture and joint structure non-invasively (Gordon), magnetic resonance imaging (Bock, Noseworthy), the role of DNA damage and DNA repair processes in carcinogenesis and in the response of tumour cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy (Rainbow), the role of adaptive response, genomic instability and bystander effect in radiation risk assessment of human and non-human biota (Boreham, Mothersill, Seymour), laser and light propagation in tissue for photodynamic therapy and tissue characterization (Patterson, Farrell, Hayward), skeletal muscle function and the mechanisms of repair/regeneration (Parise), novel radiotherapy planning, delivery and verification techniques (Diamond, Ostapiak, Wierzbicki).

Facilities for Research

The swimming pool reactor (operated at 2MW) is available for projects involving medical radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical development, neutron activation, dosimetry and neutron radiography. The accelerator laboratory houses a KN Van de Graaff (usually operated at up to 2.5MV and currents up to 200 µA) and a polarized x-ray fluorescence facility, which are used for the development of in-vivo elemental analyses. Two new accelerators are being installed; one will be a microbeam facility for radiobiology research.

Within Nuclear Medicine there is an 11MeV proton cyclotron, primarily used for production of positron emitting isotopes, together with positron tomographs. Equipment used for body composition studies includes dual energy x-ray absorption scanners, a whole body counter and a peripheral quantitative computed tomograph.

At the Juravinski Cancer Centre there is a suite of laser and other light sources and detectors used in conjunction with studies on photodynamic therapy and other applications involving light propagation in tissue. It also hosts a full complement of high energy radiotherapy units including a robot-mounted linear accelerator (Cyberknife), various treatment planning systems, a well-equipped dosimetry lab and machine shop.

Programs

• Health and Radiation Physics, M.Sc.
• Radiation Sciences (Medical Physics/Radiation Biology). M.Sc.

• Radiation Sciences (Medical Physics/Radiation Biology), Ph.D

• Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences Courses

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