Learning outcomes

As part of the Competency-Based Approach, students will be trained in the following critical learnings.
 
Build their professionalism as physicists:
  • Valuing the contribution of physics studies
  • Decide on the right ethical posture
  • Distinguish between scientific facts (technical opinion, theoretical elements) and opinions (their position in the social debate)
  • Be critical of one's choices, multiply and cross-reference one's sources
 
Model a physical phenomenon:
  • Perceive the validity of a model and improve it if necessary.
  • Integrate model uncertainties and risks.
 
Communicate concepts, experimental results and their interpretation:
  • Apply the standards of written and oral scientific communication.

Goals

Understand interactions between ionizing radiation and living cells

Content

- Chapter I: Radiation-matter interaction
o Stopping power, attenuation coefficient, fragmentation of heavy ions
o From macroscopic dosimetry to microdosimetry
o Radiochemistry

- Chapter II: Fundamental radiobiology
o DNA: Damage generation, chromosomal rearrangements and DNA repair
o Cell death and survival (biological understanding and mathematical model)
o Radiobiological quantities (LET, RBE, OER, ...)
o Non-targeted effects

- Chapter III: What about the clinic?
o Introduction to radiotherapy
o The 5 R's of radiobiology
o Fractionation, a key element of radiobiology
o Radiotherapy treatment sequence

- Chapter IV: How to modify the cellular response to radiation?
o By influencing the physical phase (dose deposition, dose rate, etc.)
o By modifying the chemical phase
o By modifying the biological phase (Repair, Repopulation, Redistribution, Radiosensitivity)

- Chapter V: Space radiation biology
o Introduction to space radiation sources
o Space exploration and large LET particles
o Radioprotection of astronauts

Teaching methods

power point and notes taken by students

Assessment method

Oral exam

 

Language of instruction

French
Training Study programme Block Credits Mandatory
Master in Physics, Professional focus Standard 0 3
Master in Physics, Professional focus Standard 1 3